NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011-2012 · Environmental Research Grants 34 Green Corridors...

NSW Environmental Trust

ANNUAL REPORT2011–12

Published by

Office of Environment and Heritage

59 Goulburn Street, Sydney NSW

PO Box A290, Sydney South NSW 1232

Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)

Phone: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests)

Phone: 1300 361 967 (national parks, climate change and energy efficiency information, and publications requests)

Fax: (02) 9995 5999

TTY users: phone 133 677 then ask for 131 555

Speak and listen users: phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 131 555

Report pollution and environmental incidents

Environment Line: 131 555 (NSW only) or [email protected]

See also www.environment.nsw.gov.au

For more information contact the NSW Environmental Trust

Level 2, 1 Fitzwilliam Street

PO Box 644

Parramatta NSW 2124

Phone: (02) 8837 6093

Fax: (02) 8837 6099

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au

OEH 2012/0852

ISSN 1445-3177

October 2012

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

Cover photographs:

1. Through the Green Corridors Program the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative will continue to forge conservation partnerships such as ‘Scottsdale’ near Bredbo which was protected under Phase 1. Photo courtesy Stuart Cohen OEH.

2. Landholders with private conservation agreements are benefitting from the NSW Environmental Trust’s new Community Bush Regeneration Program. Photo courtesy Stuart Cohen OEH.

3. A grant from the NSW Environmental Trust helped Waterfall Springs expand its captive breeding program for the endangered brush-tailed rock wallaby. Photo courtesy Piers Thomas OEH.

NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12 i

Contents

�� About the NSW Environmental Trust 1

�� Highlights of 2011–12 2

Trust Programs and Achievements 3

Land Acquisition 4

Restoration and Rehabilitation 6

�� Restoration and Rehabilitation Grants 11

�� Protecting Our Places Program 14

�� Community Bush Regeneration Program 16

�� Contaminated Land Management Program 19

�� Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up Program 21

Environmental Education 24

�� Environmental Education Grants 27

�� Eco Schools Program 29

Environmental Research 32

�� Environmental Research Grants 34

Green Corridors Program 36

Waste and Sustainability Program 38

River Red Gums Program 44

Devil Ark and Flying-fox Programs 49

Private Native Forestry Program 50

Urban Sustainability Program 51

NSW RiverBank Program 54

Dissemination Program 56

BioBanking Trust Fund 58

Finance 59

Appendices 75

Administration of the Trust 76

�� Internal Audit and Risk Management Statement for the 2011–12 Financial Year for the Environmental Trust 80

Membership of the NSW Environmental Trust 81

�� Membership of Trust Subcommittees 82

�� Membership of Trust Technical Committees 84

Contact Information 86

ii NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12

The Honourable Robyn Parker MPMinister for the EnvironmentParliament HouseMacquarie StreetSydney

Dear Minister

I have pleasure in presenting to you the 2011–12 annual report for the NSW Environmental Trust. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984.

The Trust is managing a number of new programs this year including the NSW Government’s Green Corridors Program. This $40-million program will protect strategic areas of high conservation value habitat and ensure more connected bushland across Sydney and NSW. In addition, new major projects awarded under the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program will deliver important biodiversity outcomes for iconic environments including the Snowy River and Lord Howe Island over the next four years.

The Trust’s Waste and Sustainability Program has continued to support a range of initiatives including waste minimisation campaigns, business sustainability programs, a range of resource recovery programs and support for councils and regional waste groups.

The Devil Ark project was launched in September 2011 and a successful breeding season at the purpose built facility at Barrington Tops saw the birth of 32 joeys.

Yours sincerely

SALLY BARNESSecretary, NSW Environmental TrustOctober 2012

NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12 1

Functions of the TrustThe NSW Environmental Trust (the Trust) is an independent statutory body established by the NSW Government to support projects that will enhance sustainability and environmental values in NSW. Funding is provided through a diverse range of programs including the Trust’s annual contestable grant programs, major projects, and various NSW Government initiatives.

The Trust is chaired by the NSW Minister for the Environment. Members of the Trust are the Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage (under delegation from the Director General of Premier and Cabinet) and representatives from the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and NSW Treasury. The Trust generally meets four times annually and is administered by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) within the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. Further information on administration of the Trust and its membership is provided in the appendices of this report.

The Trust is empowered under the Environmental Trust Act 1998. The objectives of the Environmental Trust are:

1. to encourage and support restoration and rehabilitation projects in both the public and the private sectors that will or are likely to prevent or reduce pollution, the waste stream or environmental degradation, of any kind, within any part of NSW

2. to promote research in both the public and private sectors into environmental problems of any kind and, in particular, to encourage and support:

z research into and development of local solutions to environmental problems

z discovery of new methods of operation for NSW industries that are less harmful to the environment

z research into general environmental problems

z assessment of environmental degradation.

3. to promote environmental education and, in particular, to encourage the development of educational programs in both the public and private sectors that will increase public awareness of environmental issues of any kind

4. to fund the acquisition of land for national parks and other categories of dedicated and reserved land for the national parks estate

5. to fund the declaration of areas for marine parks and related areas

6. to promote waste avoidance, resource recovery and waste management (including funding enforcement and regulation and local government programs)

7. to fund environmental community groups

8. to fund the purchase of water entitlements for the purposes of increasing environmental flows for the State’s rivers, and restoring or rehabilitating major wetlands.

The Trust’s support staff are employed within the Environmental Funding Programs section of the Sustainability Programs Division of OEH. For issues of compliance (such as disability plans, equal employment opportunity, multicultural policies and services, occupational health and safety etc.) refer to the OEH section within the Department of Premier and Cabinet Annual Report for 2011–12.

About the NSW Environmental Trust

2 NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12

The Trust spent $58.7 million on environmental programs in 2011–12. These funds have contributed to a diverse range of outcomes that include biodiversity conservation, restoration of natural habitats, improved sustainability practices, and greater environmental awareness through environmental education.

A number of long-running Trust programs concluded this year including the Urban Sustainability Program and NSW RiverBank. Several new programs commenced this year including contestable community bush regeneration grants, the Green Corridors Program, and Devil Ark which is helping to conserve Tasmanian devils. In addition, a number of new major projects awarded this year under the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program will deliver major biodiversity outcomes for iconic environments including the Snowy River and Lord Howe Island over the next four years.

The following are some of the highlights for 2011–12:

�� Eight new properties covering 23,732 hectares were purchased under the Land Acquisition Program. This included two strategic properties that will nearly double the size of the new Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area and ensure protection of high-quality waterbird habitat and five threatened vegetation communities.

�� Over $12.5 million in contestable grants were awarded for Restoration and Rehabilitation projects to community groups, Aboriginal organisations and State and local government. This includes $8 million to community groups for large-scale bush regeneration projects through the new Community Bush Regeneration Program.

�� As part of the NSW Government’s Green Corridors funding the Trust awarded $4.4 million over four years for Phase 2 of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative which will build upon the success of the existing program and expand the reach of the corridor. It also awarded $10 million over four years for a new Linking Landscapes project that will identify green corridors in the Sydney Basin and work to secure better land conservation within those corridors.

�� $2.5 million was awarded for the second year of the Regional Employment and Community Development Fund for Riverina communities. These grants will help small and medium-sized businesses to create employment opportunities to offset any economic loss incurred through the protection of the region’s river red gum forests.

�� A new biobanking agreement was signed on a property at Cobbity. Purchase of the biodiversity credits through the Growth Centres Program has secured the protection of 20 hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain woodland and five hectares of endangered Sydney coastal river-flat forest.

�� Nearly $11 million dollars was provided for the delivery of waste and sustainability programs. Outcomes include:

z the commencement of innovative projects that will increase the recovery of glass fines and expanded polystyrene from the waste stream

z the training of 184 people to improve environmental management at landfill and recycling facilities

z the launch of a new online calculator aimed at increasing the reuse of timber packaging and pallets

z 44 CleanOut events throughout the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions that allowed more than 30,000 households to dispose of 1.12 million kilograms of hazardous materials

z continued growth of the Sustainability Advantage program with 630 member organisations improving business sustainability and environmental performance with cumulative productivity and resource savings of around $97 million.

�� Devil Ark was launched by the Minister for the Environment in September 2011. This purpose-built facility at Barrington Tops represents the largest population of Tasmanian devils on the mainland. A successful breeding season in 2011–12 saw the birth of 32 joeys at the facility.

�� In its final year the NSW RiverBank Program spent $5.6 million purchasing 5022 megalitres of general security water entitlements and 1800 megalitres of unregulated water entitlements from the Murrumbidgee Valley, bringing the total acquisitions of water to 94,166 megalitres since 2006. Significant deliveries of environmental water occurred to key wetlands in the Gwydir, Lachlan, Macquarie and Murrumbidgee valleys with the NSW Government contributing over 41,000 megalitres of water to aid the recovery of wetlands.

Highlights of 2011–12


Trust Programs and Achievements


Watercourse and connect the Gingham to the Gwydir Watercourse, allowing for the unimpeded movement of fauna between these two important watercourses during floods. The biodiversity values of these properties and the ability for OEH to manage the delivery of environmental water to the floodplain make these acquisitions quite significant.

Improving the resilience of parksOEH has a program of incrementally acquiring land either within or on the perimeter of some reserves to improve their management effectiveness or efficiency. This year four properties totalling 487 hectares were purchased. Though relatively small in area they will support park management and reduce its associated costs by securing legal or practical access to the park; allowing a more holistic park approach to pest and weed management; and provide clearer park boundaries to foster better neighbour relations.

In 2011–12, the Trust’s Land Acquisition Program supported three important conservation themes: protecting critical corridors and landscapes; creating more resilient and effective parks and protecting Aboriginal cultural values.

The Trust provided $5.9 million for the Land Acquisition Program, including $3.5 million specifically allocated to deliver the Green Corridor Reserves element of the Government’s four-year Green Corridors Program. This total also included a one-off grant of $833,699 from the Trust to take advantage of matching funding from the Australian Government’s National Reserve System Program under the Caring for our Country initiative.

Trust funds contributed to the purchase of eight properties covering 23,732 hectares. Strategic land purchases for 2011–12 included two properties within the ecologically significant Gwydir Wetlands and one property in the lower Lachlan Valley.

This year, eight properties, covering 1093 hectares acquired in previous years with Trust funds were formally gazetted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, including the establishment of the Cullunghutti Aboriginal Area.

Gwydir Wetlands Two properties within the Gwydir Wetlands west of Moree were purchased with funds from the Trust and the Australian Government’s National Reserve System Program. The properties are proposed for addition to the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area and will contribute to the delivery of the NSW Government’s Green Corridors Program.

The Gwydir Wetlands are an inland floodplain wetland ecosystem of which today, less than 10,000 hectares, or 15 per cent, of the original extent still exists in a relatively natural condition. At 3066 hectares, these properties will nearly double the size of the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area and increase the status of protection and resilience of the Gwydir Wetlands. They contain five ecological communities now listed as endangered because of extensive clearing in the region. These are myall woodland, brigalow woodland, coolabah–black box woodland, marsh club-rush sedgeland and carbeen open forest.

The properties incorporate part of the Gingham Watercourse riverine corridor and provide secure foraging and feeding habitat for internationally protected colonial nesting waterbirds, and a rookery site for breeding. These habitats are critical to support the future breeding efforts of many species including the endangered magpie goose, brolga, black-necked stork and freckled duck.

These strategic acquisitions comprise the largest remaining naturally vegetated wetland parcel on the Gingham

Land Acquisition

per cent of the Gwydir Wetlands remains today in a relatively natural condition. The Land Acquisition Program has this year ensured the protection of another 3066

hectares of high-quality waterbird habitat in the Gwydir.15

Flooded river red gum woodland on the Gingham Watercourse


Protecting Aboriginal cultureTwenty-seven hectares located near South West Rocks was added to Clybucca Aboriginal Area during 2011–12. The land is adjacent to Yarrahapinni Wetlands National Park and Clybucca Historic Site. It protects a one-kilometre stretch of shoreline fronting the Macleay River estuary and contains a portion of National Heritage-listed Clybucca Aboriginal shell midden, one of the largest on the North Coast. This property purchase protects estuarine and freshwater wetland habitat and adjacent eucalypt forests associated with the Macleay River and will provide the Aboriginal community with the opportunity to access this site of cultural significance.

Lachlan Valley State Conservation AreaNorth-west of Hay, a 20,152-hectare property was also purchased for its strategic landscape connection with funds from the Trust and the Australian Government’s National Reserve System Program. It links the Lachlan Valley State Conservation Area to the Lachlan Valley National Park and contains about 10 kilometres of the Lachlan River corridor and the Lachlan Swamp, which is listed in A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia.1

1 A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia, Third Edition. Environment Australia, Canberra, 2001.

The property mainly contains bladder saltbush shrubland, a vegetation community once typical of the riverine plains but now reduced to 40 per cent of its original extent. Other significant species and habitats include the critically endangered old man saltbush shrubland and the forb-rich speargrass–windmill grass–white top grassland, both of which have less than one per cent of their extent included in the reserve system. It also contains habitat for a range of threatened species including the plains wanderer, painted snipe, brown treecreeper, grey-crowned babbler, pied honeyeater, white-fronted chat, spotted harrier and grey falcon.

This property will increase the area protected within the Lachlan Valley State Conservation Area and National Park by 42 per cent and will improve the viability and resilience of the reserve to the impacts of surrounding agricultural land use and climate change.


Restoration and Rehabilitation

Major projectsDuring 2011–12 the Trust approved five new major projects to be funded under the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program.

Eradication of weeds on Lord Howe IslandThe Lord Howe Island Weed Eradication Program commenced in 2004 following funding by the Trust through its Integrated Environmental Program. A thirty-year time frame is projected to achieve eradication of weeds from the island. The Trust will provide $1.43 million over three years to fund the delivery of the program’s Year 10 targets. These targets will be achieved through systematic grid search and control of at least 15 priority weed species including five Weeds of National Significance (bitou bush, bridal creeper, climbing asparagus, ground asparagus and lantana).

The Lord Howe Island Weed Management Strategy (2006) sets the framework for eradication and management of priority invasive weeds on the island. The use of a systematic grid search and control program across designated weed management blocks every two years has proven to be successful in reducing weed populations, however the application of a consistent and repeated effort is required to move to a low-level search and monitoring phase.

The key objectives of the current project are to reduce the density and extent of priority weeds across 450 hectares per year; to identify and remove weeds in remote complex terrain and on cliff lines; and to increase community capacity and awareness of the impacts of weeds and their management.

Community support and awareness is critical towards achieving the eradication of weeds from the island. Focus group meetings which were held at the commencement of the eradication program in 2004 will be re-initiated. These will be used to update the community on the achievements of the program to date and provide an avenue to encourage community involvement and support.

Eradicating rodents from Lord Howe Island In 2009 the Lord Howe Island Board developed a draft Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Plan. The Trust has awarded $4.5 million over four years to implement this plan to eradicate rats and mice from Lord Howe Island. This was subject to matching funds being provided by the Australian Government which were confirmed in June 2012.

Rats on Lord Howe Island are recognised as a key threatening process under both State and Commonwealth legislation. Rats are implicated in the extinction of at least

The Restoration and Rehabilitation Program provides funds to community organisations and State and local government organisations for projects that enhance and restore the environment and reduce pollution, waste and environmental degradation. It incorporates a number of contestable grant programs for the community, government, and Aboriginal organisations as well as ongoing rehabilitation programs that address contaminated land and pollution incidents.

AchievementsGrants awarded under the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program contribute to a diverse range of environmental outcomes. Some of the achievements of projects completed this year include:

�� restoration and enhancement of coastal wetland habitats and endangered ecological communities at Coomaditchie Lagoon, Pambula, Tumbi Umbi and Lake Macquarie

�� restoration of riparian habitats along Brooks Creek in Wollongong and the Boorowa River at Boorowa

�� protection of threatened species including fencing of known locations of the threatenend plant species Zieria tuberculata at Tilba Tilba, captive breeding of brush-tailed rock wallabies and habitat restoration for the Booroolong frog in the upper Murray catchment

�� control of noxious weeds including madeira vine in the Shoalhaven, exotic vine weeds in the Tweed Valley and bitou bush on the far North Coast

�� the enhancement of habitat corridors in Newcastle and in World Heritage-listed dry rainforest in the Clarence catchment.

Case studies on the following pages highlight the achievements of some of these completed projects.

Grantees from the 2010 funding round are progressing well against their project objectives. So far bush regeneration has been carried out on approximately 716 hectares of native vegetation communities, which is around 25 per cent of the total area expected to be treated once all projects are complete. Over 78 hectares of land have been revegetated with the planting of over 15,500 native plants.


five endemic bird species and at least 13 invertebrates, and are a recognised threat to at least 13 other bird species, two reptiles, 51 plant species and 12 vegetation communities.

Successful eradication programs on other islands around the world have shown that the benefits to humans and native plants and animals are significant and immediate. On Lord Howe Island the perceived benefits include a marked increase in plants, birds, reptiles and insects; removal of the economic and environmental burden of ongoing control programs; an increase in productivity in the island’s kentia palm industry; the ability to return species absent due to predation of rats and mice; and elimination of significant health risks caused by rodents.

Many methods have been carefully investigated to identify the most suitable eradication method. Based on data from over 300 successful eradication programs on islands around the world the proven and most effective method will be to distribute poison baits to all parts of the island group (except Balls Pyramid and its islets) by aerial and hand broadcasting.

Residents of the island will be involved in detailed operational planning for their properties and have been consulted extensively during the preparation of the draft eradication plan. Ongoing consultation and dissemination of information about the eradication program to multiple stakeholders both on and off the island will also be a key part of the program.

Lord Howe Island will be the largest, permanently populated island on which the eradication of rodents has been attempted. Lessons learned from this project will provide a template for future eradications on inhabited islands worldwide.

Classification and mapping of regional-scale native vegetation communities of NSWThis $4.5-million project will deliver comprehensive regional-scale mapping of native vegetation across NSW over a four-year period. In order to achieve this it will improve the existing classification of NSW plant community types to establish a consistent, high-quality set of plant community descriptions across NSW.

The project by OEH seeks to address a number of challenges that currently make the regulation and conservation of native vegetation problematic. NSW currently has a patchwork of vegetation mapping products of varying scales and qualities, created by different methods for different purposes. This limits the opportunities to fully establish vegetation conservation significance and monitor and report on changes in extent at a plant community level.

In 2009 OEH prepared a strategic plan, the Native Vegetation Type Mapping Strategy (2009–2013), to describe and prioritise the vegetation mapping needs for NSW. The longer term objective of this strategy was ‘to create a unified, seamless and full floristic native vegetation map across NSW using consistent classifications, stored in a single comprehensive and accessible native vegetation database’.

Vegetation mapping has traditionally been a labour-intensive process that has relied on the knowledge and interpretive skills of botanists and experienced aerial photo interpreters. More recently OEH has implemented a new systematic mapping process for regional-scale mapping that employs a combination of advanced remote sensing image analysis to define mapping boundaries and pattern recognition

technology to assist with vegetation classification. SPOT5 is the primary image source for this technique – it has a ground resolution of 2.5 metres making it suitable for regional-scale analysis. To date approximately 17 per cent of NSW has been mapped by OEH for regional-scale purposes

The initial phase of this project will confirm the precise requirements and scope of the mapping component through consultation with stakeholders and analysis of user requirements. These requirements will then guide the selection of the appropriate mapping methodology.

Snowy River Rehabilitation Project Stage 2Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has been committed to the rehabilitation of the Snowy River for many years. Its successful coordination of targeted restoration and habitat improvement works along 186 kilometres of the Snowy River between Jindabyne and the Victorian border through previous Trust funding has resulted in significant enhancement of riparian and aquatic habitats along the river. Building upon the successful outcomes of the previous Snowy River Rehabilitation Program the CMA will refine and implement a series of recommendations arising from an independent review of the project.

Since completion of Stage 1 rehabilitation work the Snowy River has experienced the largest ever environmental water release from Jindabyne Dam in October 2011. This was followed in April 2012 by a 1-in-50-year natural flood event. The 2011 release had a peak discharge of 12,000 megalitres per day with a total of 84,000 megalitres delivered to the river over a 19-day period. The flood event delivered over 100,000 megalitres over a week. These two hydrologic events have been significant milestones for recovery of the river. Low-flow channels took on greater definition, pool and riffle sequences re-established and new banks were formed.

There is still much work to be done to assist the river’s recovery. This $500,000 project will complement current restoration activities being undertaken by Southern Rivers CMA by delivering discrete value-adding components that would not otherwise have been implemented.

The project seeks to achieve a number of outcomes in five key areas to support restoration activities along the river:

Community engagement: provide support for community working groups to build knowledge and skills, raise community awareness and develop and distribute educational products.

Environmental flow release to the Snowy River in October 2011


River rehabilitation: undertake restoration activities that will expedite assisted natural recovery of the river (such as willow removal, revegetation and release of bass fingerlings)

Science and biological recovery: support scientific studies on platypus and native fish populations by appropriate institutions such as universities.

Communication and public involvement: maximise community knowledge of the environmental, economic and social opportunities associated with increased environmental flows.

River access: increase public awareness of river access points to encourage greater recreational use of the river.

Roadside Vegetation Implementation Project Phase 2This project provides $1 million to the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA) to deliver priority works identified in existing Roadside Vegetation Management Plans. This project builds on previous investment made by the Trust in 2005 when funding was provided to councils to prepare Roadside Vegetation Management Plans.

Approximately 68 councils have Roadside Vegetation Management Plans however there has been limited implementation by many councils due to the costs associated with on-ground works and the capacity of councils to fund such works. The Roadside Vegetation Implementation Project is designed to assist councils to implement priority actions through a contestable grants process.

Phase 1 of this project was achieved through a $1.5-million grant under the Urban Sustainability Program in 2010–11.

Through this grant 28 projects across 31 council areas received funding for roadside vegetation projects, with 78 per cent of projects being awarded to small regional councils. Some of the activities funded through Phase 1 include:

�� restoring high-priority road reserves, involving weeding, regeneration and replanting

�� conducting regional projects across council areas to manage weeds being spread along roadsides

�� installing signage to promote high-priority roadside environments

�� enhancing and connecting high- and medium-quality conservation value vegetation

�� maintaining and enhancing roadside areas to protect threatened species.

Phase 2 of the Roadside Vegetation Implementation Project will provide a further round of contestable grants, which will provide an opportunity for councils that were unsuccessful, or unable to apply, in the 2012 round. Councils funded in Phase 1 will be ineligible to apply for Phase 2 funds.

The project is also aiming to invest in priority areas where limited roadside vegetation management has occurred to date. This includes the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Central West regions. Activities will be coordinated regionally in collaboration with CMAs. Phase 2 aims to build on the momentum created during Phase 1 of the Roadside Vegetation Implementation Project and provide opportunities for councils to disseminate learning and share experiences through regional study tours, forums and case study updates.


� C A S E S T U D Y

Control of bitou bush in the northern containment zoneReducing the highly invasive bitou bush from 10 kilometres of the Tweed coastline was the aim of a $100,000 Restoration and Rehabilitation project completed by Northern Rivers CMA in partnership with Tweed Council. A total of 290 hectares of coastal vegetation was treated for bitou bush invasion, including 153 hectares of endangered ecological communities.

Aerial monitoring of bitou bush in June 2010 and April 2011 showed a significant reduction in the density and extent of bitou bush on Fingal Head peninsula and Ukerebagh Island which were focal sites for the project. In June 2010, 41 hectares of the project area had a medium density cover of bitou bush (10–40 per cent) but by April 2011 less than three hectares of medium density bitou bush remained. Heavy infestations of bitou bush (40–70 per cent cover) were reduced from 3.5 hectares to 0.6 hectares. Across the project area light infestations (<10 per cent cover) still occur and will require ongoing control to maintain.

The preparation of a Bitou Bush National Northern Containment Zone Management Plan was critical in guiding the on-ground efforts. All on-ground works followed the principles and best management practices of the NSW Bitou Bush Threat Abatement Plan.

Much of the on-ground control work was carried out by experienced bush regeneration contractors. The project also received support from various community organisations including Fingal Coastcare and the Tweed Aboriginal community. A community planting day in June 2010 resulted in the planting of 1000 coast banksia and littoral rainforest plants by more than 30 community members. Indigenous bush regeneration teams were engaged as subcontractors and completed six training sessions to enhance their bush regeneration skills.

The project has built a successful foundation which has allowed the project partners to secure federal funding to extend the work to the whole of the Tweed Shire, incorporating 32 kilometres of coastline. Project partners were also successful in upgrading the classification of bitou bush from Class 4 to a Class 3 noxious weed in the Tweed Shire.


Endangered brush-tailed rock wallaby breeding programWaterfall Springs is a private wildlife sanctuary at Kulnura on the Central Coast which is helping to secure the long-term survival of the Central Evolutionary Significant Unit of the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. A grant of $98,570 from the Trust’s Restoration and Rehabilitation Program has allowed the construction of 12 new enclosures and three feeding stations to expand the sanctuary’s captive breeding program which is now the leading captive breeding program for the species in NSW.

Waterfall Springs Conservation Association established its best practice breeding centre between 1990 and 2003. The construction of the new facilities, which were officially opened on National Threatened Species Day (7 September 2010), brings the total number of enclosures to 45. The enclosures replicate as closely as possible natural brush-tailed rock wallaby habitats to encourage normal breeding activity. Since the grant commenced in January 2009 there have been 15 rock wallabies born at the facility making a total of 43 births since breeding commenced in 2006.

Captive-bred wallabies from Waterfall Springs are donated to OEH to support planned recovery programs. Twenty three wallabies were released to the Warrumbungle National Park in 2009 making this one of the largest releases of brush-tailed rock wallabies to date. Further wallabies were released into the park in 2010–11. Predation is still a significant threat for this colony, however, there is evidence that some of the released animals have bred with the wild population. Small numbers of wallabies have been released into a colony in Kangaroo Valley since 2009. Radio tracking and field monitoring have shown that this population is showing good breeding activity and is currently sustaining itself at an encouraging level.

Improvement and expansion of the Waterfall Springs facilities has positioned Waterfall Springs as the core facility for breeding of the Central Evolutionary Significant Unit Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby species, enhanced Waterfall Springs’ ability to conduct research into rock wallaby behaviour and supported the development of new technologies to ensure best practice captive management.Bitou bush invading a sand dune

Brush-tailed rock wallaby



Improving the sustainability of Pambula WetlandsPanboola Wetland is a nationally significant coastal wetland that covers 77 hectares of the Pambula Lake catchment. Since 2002 the site has been managed by a dedicated group of volunteers who have carried out extensive fencing, rehabilitation and construction of walking and cycling tracks. A two-year grant from the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program aimed to reduce the burden on volunteers and set in place a framework for the future sustainable management of the site.

A vital key to the success of this project was the appointment of a part-time coordinator to manage the volunteers, coordinate contractors and on-ground works, and to engage with the local community. Promotion of the project through clubs, community groups, the local media and community festivals has doubled the volunteer numbers from 14 to 30. A working session every Thursday has established a regular presence at the site, with over 2000 volunteer hours contributed over two years.

The Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council was engaged to revegetate the riparian area and further opportunities for joint projects with the aboriginal community are now being planned. Other linkages have been established with Southern Rivers CMA who has used the site for frog identification workshops, a local high school which is assisting with biodiversity surveys, and the Far South Coast Birdwatchers who conduct quarterly bird surveys at Panboola. Community use of the site continues to grow with visitor surveys showing an average of 80 people per day using the site.

A weed management plan and a business plan were developed to complement the existing Panboola Plan of Management. Implementation of the weed plan resulted in 132 hectares of land being hand-weeded or mechanically or chemically treated. The business plan has identified various funding opportunities and improved the capacity of the organisation to meet the ongoing objectives of restoring the wetlands.

In 2010 Panboola was awarded the World Wetland Network Blue Globe Award for the Oceania region which recognises best practice wetland management. In particular the award recognises the high level of volunteer commitment and community participation at Panboola and the effective management of the site for wetland species and habitat.


Restoring koala habitat in Gunnedah: building on a 1990s successA three-year tracking program of koalas at Gunnedah has revealed some surprising results in how koalas make use of available habitat. Funded by a $98,000 Restoration and Rehabilitation grant, Liverpool Plains Land Management Committee worked with landholders and a team of researchers from OEH and the University of Sydney to determine whether extensive tree plantings carried out in the 1990s had been successful in providing additional koala habitat.

Fifty-five koalas were fitted with GPS tracking collars for up to six months each. The collars transmitted the precise location of each koala every four hours, providing accurate and reliable data on koala movements. The information collected has demonstrated that the koalas were regularly using the new plantings in conjunction with remnant patches of woodland. Koalas were found to move frequently between these plantings and other habitats such as isolated trees and remnant woodlands, with many koalas recording movements of 3–4 kilometres over several weeks.

The tracking data also revealed that the koalas are not walking randomly across the landscape but making use of habitat along linear features such as fence lines, train tracks, roadsides and travelling stock reserves. One of the most surprising findings was that koalas are frequently walking across open paddocks to use isolated remnant trees.

The most frequently used feed trees are river red gum, Blakely’s red gum, red ironbark, poplar box, white box and yellow box. Koalas were regularly found in non-eucalypt trees such as white cypress, wilga and kurrajong as they provide shade and protection from weather extremes.

The project received considerable coverage in local and national media including a segment on the ABC’s Catalyst program in April 2011. The project findings have been used to develop recommendations to guide future plantings and landscape management.

This study has confirmed that the plantings carried out 20 years ago are making an important contribution to koala conservation in Gunnedah. They are providing valuable and useful habitat which has been a key factor in allowing the local koala population to increase.

The project report

Visitors brochure for Panboola wetlands


Through contestable grants to community and State and local government organisations the Restoration and Rehabilitation Program aims to restore degraded environments, protect important ecosystems and habitats of rare and endangered flora and fauna, and improve the capacity of eligible organisations to protect, restore and enhance the environment.

Following independent evaluation of the program in 2010–11 a number of changes were implemented this year. The major change has been an increase in the program budget

Restoration and Rehabilitation Grants

Visitors brochure for Panboola wetlands

from $1.5 million to $2 million for both the community and government grant programs. This was to meet the increased demand for medium-scale projects that require around $100,000 over three years.

The Trust received 63 applications for the Community Grants Program in 2011 requesting $4,878,981, and awarded 24 grants totalling $2,052,515 (Table 1). The State and Local Government Program attracted 82 applications requesting $6,645,492, and the Trust awarded 25 grants totalling $2,010,533 (Table 2).

Table 1Restoration and Rehabilitation community grants awarded in 2011–12

Organisation Project title LGA Amount

Armidale Tree Group Restoring the grassy bit – woodland restoration in New England Armidale–Dumaresq $99,205

Ballina Coast Care Incorporated Angels Beach – beachfront parade precinct corridor rehabilitation

Ballina $14,983

Berry Landcare Group Restoration Illawarra subtropical rainforest – Bundewallah Creek

Shoalhaven $22,500

Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group Inc. Rehabilitating endangered lowland subtropical rainforest Byron $100,000

Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc. Riparian restoration to protect biodiversity of the Brunswick River

Byron $99,715

Clarence Landcare Incorporated Protection of Nymboida River biodiversity Clarence Valley $92,155

EnviTE Inc. Wompoo Gorge lowland rainforest corridor restoration Byron $100,000

Gilgandra Local Aboriginal Land Council Regenerating woodland of cultural and environmental significance

Gilgandra $93,636

Gwymac Inc. Linking conservation, kids and community at Ross Hill, Inverell Inverell $40,461

Hastings Landcare Inc. Comboyne corridor conservation and remnant rescue stage 1 Port Macquarie–Hastings

$99,976

Hastings Landcare Inc. Establishment of Hastings–Macleay land for wildlife project Port Macquarie–Hastings

$60,240

Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council Restoration of 'The Jali Lands' at Wardell Ballina $100,000

Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council Restoration of the Jali Seven Mile Beach heath and wetland stage 2

Ballina $100,000

Liverpool Plains Land Management Inc. Restoration of koala habitat in Gunnedah: facing the new threats

Gunnedah $99,400

Mount Gibraltar Landcare and Bushcare Group

Mount Gibraltar forest EEC regeneration of old quarries sites Wingecarribee $99,700

Nambucca Valley Landcare Inc. Valla Swamp sclerophyll rehabilitation Nambucca $53,600

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/2011RRCom.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/2011RRCom.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/2011RRSL.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/2011RRSL.htm



Nature Conservation Trust of NSW Restoring high conservation value habitats and corridors in NE NSW 2

Tweed $100,000

Nature Conservation Council of NSW Using fire as a restoration tool in Cumberland Plain vegetation Hawkesbury $87,647

Orara Valley RiverCare Groups Management Committee Inc.

Connecting riparian rainforest corridors in the Orara Valley Coffs Harbour $100,000

Seven Oakes Drainage Union Seven Oakes sustainable floodplain management – Clybucca Kempsey $99,904

Shortland Wetlands Centre Limited Hunter wetlands community Ramsar site improvement (Phase 2) Newcastle City $92,128

South West Rocks Dune Care Group Restore 50 hectares of dune system and do follow-up weed control at South West Rocks

Kempsey $98,650

Susan and Elizabeth Islands Recreation Trust

Susan Island remnant lowland rainforest restoration Clarence Valley $100,000

Upper Clarence Combined Landcare Inc. Riparian restoration of 11 kilometres of high conservation value Nogrigar Creek

Kyogle $98,615

Total $2,052,515

Restoration and Rehabilitation community grants awarded in 2011–12 (cont)


Table 2Restoration and Rehabilitation State and local government grants awarded in 2011–12


Albury City Council Restoring endangered ecological communities on Albury's roadsides Albury $69,700

Byron Shire Council Bush Futures: Stage 2 – restoring and managing urban bushland Byron $98,844

Clarence Valley Council Clarence estuary riparian and wetland restoration Clarence Valley $89,013

Cooma–Monaro Shire Council Comprehensive koala plan of management for Cooma–Monaro LGA Cooma-Monaro $100,000

Eurobodalla Shire Council Restoring the last remaining stands of two EECs in the Eurobodalla Eurobodalla $98,758

Great Lakes Council Bulladelah Plain Wetland conservation and restoration project Great Lakes $99,302

Hawkesbury City Council Little Wheeny Creek restoration project 2012–2014 Hawkesbury $49,500

Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority

Optimising revegetation management for regent honeyeater recovery Lithgow $89,380

Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority

Workers on Water (WOW) – floating landcare in the Hawkesbury estuary

Various $71,425

Hunter Councils Inc. Conservation of Weeping Myall populations on private and public land Singleton $100,000

Hunter–Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority

Flying-fox Hunter River floodplain habitat restoration Maitland $88,957

Hunter–Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority

Mt View corridor threatened species habitat rehabilitation project Cessnock $100,000

Kempsey Shire Council Gills Bridge Creek rehabilitation program (management zone 5) Kempsey $16,880

Lake Macquarie City Council Connecting Dudley Bluff Lake Macquarie $97,500

Lord Howe Island Board Eradicating African big-headed ants from Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island

$99,845

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Go with the flow – returning water to drained Richmond wetlands Richmond Valley $100,000

Rous Water Wilsons River catchment schools education and restoration project Lismore $88,179

Shellharbour City Council Restoring Blackbutt Reserve Shellharbour $60,400

Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority

Building the foundations of river recovery – Bega River catchment Bega Valley $100,000


Protecting the high conservation value Clyde River and its EECs Eurobodalla $95,000


Wetland conservation in the face of climate change Palerang $40,018

State Water Corporation Fish superhighways weir removal program Kyogle $90,000

Tweed Shire Council Cross-tenure invasive animal control to protect native fauna Tweed $100,000

Wagga Wagga City Council Wilks Park wildlife restoration area Wagga Wagga $19,444

Wellington Council Keeping big fish in the Little River, NSW Wellington $48,388

Total $2,010,533


�� training and stakeholder workshops to develop land and fire management planning documents that protect the cultural and environmental values of sites of Aboriginal significance on the NSW Central Coast

�� fencing of Beemunnel Aboriginal land near Warren to exclude neighbouring stock, and enable natural regeneration of the native vegetation from existing seed banks

�� restoration of the Mission at Moree through removal of dumped waste, weeds eradication and community participation in planting of local species of plants

�� restoration of a unique and significant marriage circle and scar tree site at Billinudgel including restoration of riparian vegetation, removal of dumped waste and control of invasive weeds to allow regeneration of the native plants

�� restoration of 12 hectares of land at Bean Creek Falls including removal of lantana to allow native seedling establishment, restoring access to the bush and waterholes for traditional and recreational purposes, and improving fauna habitat value.

The Protecting Our Places (POP) Program provides Aboriginal organisations with the opportunity to apply for funding to:

�� restore or rehabilitate Aboriginal land or land that is culturally significant to Aboriginal people

�� educate Aboriginal and other communities about the local environment and the value Aboriginal communities place on their natural environment.

The Trust awarded 16 grants totalling $501,017 in 2011–12 (Table 3). It is expected that these projects will rehabilitate or restore around 247 hectares of Aboriginal owned or culturally significant land. Over 48,000 people will share, give or receive traditional Aboriginal knowledge or participate in Caring for Country through these projects.

Prior to the call for applications for the 2012 grants program a series of ten workshops was held across NSW. These workshops attracted 58 participants, providing them with information on how to submit an application and highlighting some of the outcomes from previous successful POP grants.

Achievements from some of the POP projects completed this year include:

Protecting Our Places Program


Bush regeneration at Bean Creek FallsA two-year program of weed control has helped to restore a significant site for the Githabul traditional owners in the Clarence catchment. Bean Creek Falls had become degraded by a thick infestation of lantana, preventing access to the bush and waterholes for traditional purposes. A $30,690 grant from the Protecting Our Places Program allowed the restoration of 12 hectares of woodland and riparian habitat within Bean Creek Falls Reserve which is an important natural area amidst a largely agricultural landscape.

Initial clearing of the lantana was achieved through an approved hazard reduction burn by the local rural fire service. The burning of the site was followed by one of the wettest seasons in memory which resulted in ongoing shooting from the base of the burnt lantana. Secondary and follow-up treatments using ‘cut and paint’ techniques have resulted in successful control of lantana at the site.

Other weeds which have been treated and successfully controlled following the burn include tobacco bush, senna, white passion flower, moth vine and paspalum. Baseline surveys and photographic records have provided a valuable indicator of the success of the project demonstrating effective weed control and a high level of natural regeneration.

A team of 10 Aboriginal volunteers from the local Githabul and Mulli Mullli communities were actively involved in the weed control and bush regeneration, some of whom had no previous experience with bush regeneration. The group

also carried out informal surveys of fauna within the Reserve and adjacent bushland which found a large population of the threatened rufous bettong.

Signage for the site was designed and painted by a local Aboriginal artist to educate visitors about the local environment and its significance to Aboriginal communities, including cultural uses of native vegetation. Artwork depicts the main waterhole surrounded by cliffs and celebrates cultural bush knowledge and the use of bush tucker. The rays of the sun symbolise the dawning of a new era for the descendants of the traditional custodians.

Artwork symbolises the dawning of a new era for the traditional custodians of Bean Creek Falls


Table 3Protecting our Places grants awarded in 2011–12


Ashford Local Aboriginal Land Council

3 Sisters – protection through fencing Inverell $35,000

Banyam–Baigham Landcare Group Banyam–Baigham restoration and cultural awareness project Richmond River $35,000

Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council

Restoration and rehabilitation of Hanging Rock Creek Eurobodalla $33,283

Black Magic Aboriginal Corporation Kinchela environment warriors: Hat Head Dunes Kempsey $34,900

Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Corporation

Development of Gurrungutch dreaming educational and cultural circuit Kiama $30,800

Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council

Coffs Creek restoration and interpretive bush tucker trail Coffs Harbour $24,922

Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council

Continuing the work at Tree on Rock Hawkesbury $31,460

John Cook Foundation (Numbahjing Elders Group)

East Ballina indigenous heritage site restoration and public education Ballina $17,850

Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council

Bringing Mogo Creek back to life: its restoration and rehabilitation Eurobodalla $35,000

Moyengully Natural Resource Management Group

Welby Weir: weed eradication and bush regeneration Wingecarribee $31,000

Peak Hill Aboriginal Landcare Group

Bulgandramine Mission restoration and re-vegetation Parkes $34,873

SnowyWS Environmental Work Team, Bila Bunyips

Mount Norton – weed control program Tumut $30,000

3rd Space Mob Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation

Gumbaynggirr ways of learning Bellingen $35,000

Thungutti Local Aboriginal Land Council

Weed control and restoration work at Bellbrook LALC Kempsey $34,715

Warrabinga Native Title Claimants Aboriginal Corporation Pty Ltd

Raising cultural and environmental awareness at Ganguddy Mid-Western Regional

$24,636

West Wyalong Local Aboriginal Land Council

Cultural aquatic values education and training (CAVEaT) Bland $32,578

Total $501,017


individual landholders who have entered into some form of binding conservation agreement, and can demonstrate high conservation outcomes.

A total of $2 million will be provided to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife to expand its existing Private Land Conservation Grants Program. This program is a partnership initiative between the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, the Paddy Pallin Foundation, the Humane Society International’s Wildlife Land Trust, the Diversicon Environmental Foundation, the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW, OEH Conservation Partners Program and now the NSW Environmental Trust. This is the first time that the Trust has entered into a partnership with a non-government organisation to deliver a grants program, and this reflects the solid reputation that the Foundation has established in delivering its conservation program in the past.

The Private Land Conservation Grants Program aims to increase the amount of high-value conservation area on private land and to educate and encourage private landholders to participate in bush regeneration. The Trust provided $1 million for its first year of expanded funding (Table 5). A total of 137 applications were received requesting funds of $847,867, twice the level of funding that was sought over the previous year.

Seventy-two applications were approved for approximately $370,000 in funding, of which 32 grantees have in-perpetuity conservation protection agreements on their land. Applicants with these legally binding covenants were able to seek up to $5000 per year for three years. Another 32 grantees have less binding conservation agreements, with these grantees able to seek up to $1000 per year for three years. Eight projects received funding for training, education and field days in land conservation. A complete list of grant recipients is available on the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife website: www.fnpw.org.au

The majority of funding requested will be used for weed management. Other conservation outcomes will include the provision of nesting boxes for various wildlife species, the repair of fences to keep stock and feral animals out, and some feral animal trapping. A number of grantees are aiming to create or enhance wildlife corridors to allow wildlife to move safely and have access to food.

The next round of funding under the Private Land Conservation Grants Program will open in early 2013.

The $10-million Community Bush Regeneration Program aims to regenerate degraded natural bushland, including riverbanks, urban bushland and degraded waterways.

This new six-year program, approved by the Trust in May 2011, will fund large-scale community-led bush regeneration projects. These grants are intended to meet the growing desire of groups, or coalitions of groups, to undertake large-scale longer-term regional projects that are beyond the scope of the existing three-year Restoration and Rehabilitation grants. These projects may involve three or four groups working at a subcatchment scale (50–100 hectares) or may target specific issues across large geographic areas (such as river restoration or creation of wildlife corridors across multiple properties).

The objectives of the Community Bush Regeneration Program large project stream are to:

�� regenerate degraded natural areas, including bushland, riverbanks, degraded waterways and rare and endangered ecosystems

�� improve the ongoing health and resilience of important ecosystems and habitats of rare and endangered flora and fauna

�� improve ecological connectivity within and between natural areas

�� improve the capacity of local community groups to protect, restore and enhance the environment by strengthening those organisations whose primary purpose is to undertake environmental works in their local area.

The Program provided $8 million for the large project stream with grants of between $200,000 and $250,000 available. The new grant scheme was well-received with the Trust receiving 97 applications requesting total funds of $23,166,808. Thirty-three grants were awarded totalling $8,033,016 (Table 4). These grants will fund restoration projects in a range of habitats including riparian zones, coastal headlands, koala habitat and endangered woodlands, as well as a number of projects that seek to undertake rehabilitation at a catchment scale. These projects commenced in July 2012 and will run for up to six years. This $8-million program has now been fully allocated.

A second element of the Community Bush Regeneration Program provides small grants to community groups and

Community Bush Regeneration Program

http://www.fnpw.org.au

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/2011BushGrants.htm


Table 4Community Bush Regeneration grants awarded in 2011–12


Bega River and Wetlands Landcare Group Inc.

Bega River and wetlands river oak regeneration project Bega Valley $249,580

Ballina Coast Care Incorporated EEC restoration at five East Ballina headland and wetland sites Ballina $238,923

Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group Inc. Rehabilitating/restoring endangered lowland subtropical rainforest

Lismore $249,900

Coal Point Progress Assoc Neighbourhood Watch & Landcare Inc.

Threatened species last stand on the Coal Point Peninsula Lake Macquarie $250,000

Deua Rivercare Deua River riparian restoration project Eurobodalla $223,993

Dubbo Macquarie River Bushcare Dubbo Macquarie River Bushcare protect-repair-connect project Dubbo $250,000

Far South Coast Landcare Association Protecting the NSW wilderness coast (Bega Valley Shire) Bega Valley $249,999

Greening Australia (NSW) Ltd Windsor to the weir – a community corridor Hawkesbury $250,000

Jetty Dunecare Group Inc. Coffs Creek to Boambee Creek community bush regeneration Coffs Harbour $250,000

Jiggi Catchment Landcare Inc. Rehabilitating high conservation value habitats and corridors Lismore $250,000

Kangaroo Valley Environment Group Inc. Repairing riparian habitats along the Kangaroo River system Shoalhaven $204,372

Macdonald Valley Association Inc. Rescue the future – restoring the Macdonald Valley ecosystem Hawkesbury $250,000

Macleay Landcare Network Inc. Revisiting vine weeds in the Upper Macleay riverbank Armidale–Dumaresq

$250,000

Mulgoa Valley Landcare Group Mulgoa Creek resilience and restoration strategy – 2012 to 2018 Penrith $250,000

Murrumbidgee Landcare Association Incorporated

Working together: cross-property planning to balance production and conservation

Wagga Wagga $249,900

Myall Koala and Environmental Group Inc. (MKEG)

Endangered koala habitat and corridor restoration in Hawks Nest Great Lakes $234,500

Orama RiverCare Association Inc. (ORCA)

Upper Bellinger River lowland rainforest resilience building project

Bellingen $241,087

Orara Valley RiverCare Groups Management Committee Inc.

Regenerating rainforest in strategic Orara Valley riparian corridors

Coffs Harbour $250,000

Palm Grove Ourimbah Creek Landcare Inc.

Ourimbah Creek floodplain rainforest and wetland regeneration Wyong $240,000

Pittwater Environmental Foundation Upper Mullet Creek catchment biodiversity restoration project Pittwater $250,000

Port Macquarie Landcare Group Inc. Port Macquarie's Yarranabee and Wrights Creek rehabilitation Port Macquarie–Hastings

$250,000

Puckeys Estate Bushcare Group Restoring remnants of significance: Puckeys Estate and Bellambi Dunes

Wollongong $240,000

Soldiers Point–Salamander Bay Landcare Committee

Benapi Point corridors restoration project Port Stephens $246,000

South West Rocks (SWR) Dune Care Group

Enhancing resilience of 12 kilometres of coastal EECs from Smoky Cape to SWR

Kempsey $249,000



Tamworth Regional Landcare Association

Regeneration of grassy white box communities in the Tamworth region

Tamworth $237,406

Tennyson Park Bushcare Group Bushcare connections – linking EECs along the Lane Cove River Lane Cove $238,338

Tilligerry Habitat Association Inc. Tilligerry Peninsula community bush regeneration project Port Stephens $250,000

Towamba Valley Landcare Group Inc. Three EECs deserve a Towamba Landcare management system Bega Valley $249,769

Tweed Landcare Mid Tweed River and Mount Warning connections of high conservation value vegetation

Tweed $249,850

Upper Clarence Combined Landcare Inc. Restoring vegetation and habitat in buffers to national reserves Tenterfield $240,400

Wamberal Lagoon Bushcare Wamberal Lagoon nature reserve restoration Gosford $200,000

Western Landcare NSW Incorporated Working together to restore the Brewarrina to Bourke River corridor

Brewarrina $250,000

Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre Culture, burning and bush regeneration in Garby Country Coffs Harbour $249,999

Total $8,033,016

Table 5Private Land Conservation payments in 2011–12


Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife Community Bush Regeneration Private Land Conservation Grants (small project stream)

Various $1,000,000

Total $1,000,000

Community Bush Regeneration grants awarded in 2011–12 (cont)


Contaminated Land Management Program

The Contaminated Land Management Program is delivered on behalf of the Trust by the Hazardous Incidents and Environmental Health Branch of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). It is overseen by a Trust subcommittee with representation from industry, non-government organisations and local and State government.

Contaminated sites can pose a major risk to human health and the environment. They can be a source of ongoing pollution of aquifers and waterways, degrade habitats, preclude beneficial use of natural resources, prevent the development of land and threaten water security.

The Trust approved the continuation of the Contaminated Land Management Program for a further three years (from 2012–13 to 2014–15), at $2 million a year, to investigate and remediate these sites. It also approved a new pilot program to undertake investigation and remediation of derelict rural underground petroleum storage systems. This particular program is in a pilot phase which aims to assess the nature and extent of the derelict petroleum sites issue in NSW and identify a package of solutions to address it.

A total of $343,468 was awarded under the Underground Petroleum Storage Systems Program for two grants this year (Table 6). In order to maximise efficiency the Trust funded

the EPA to undertake preliminary investigations of 25 sites to prioritise them for detailed investigations and remediation. It then funded additional investigation of four of those sites which were identified as suitable for the first round of remediation.

The Contaminated Land Management Program assists local councils in the investigation and remediation of former gasworks sites. These former gas manufacturing plants have left a legacy of contamination of soil and groundwater at these and adjoining sites. The Council Gasworks Program awarded a total of $570,890 for two investigations and one site remediation. Investigations were carried out at former gasworks sites at Cowra and Deniliquin, and the site at Cowra subsequently received $500,000 to commence remediation (Table 6).

A third element of the Contaminated Land Management Program provides funds to ‘innocent owners’ who unwittingly find themselves responsible for the remediation of serious land contamination because the polluter cannot be found or no longer exists. There was only one small Innocent Owners Program grant awarded this year, this being for further investigations on a former battery recycling site in Young, prior to remediation being commenced (Table 6).

Table 6Contaminated Land Management Program grants awarded in 2011–12

Underground Petroleum Storage Systems ProgramOrganisation Project title LGA Amount

Environment Protection Authority Underground petroleum service station investigations of 25 sites Various $283,468

Environment Protection Authority Derelict underground petroleum storage systems – investigations of four additional sites

Various $60,000

Total $343,468

Council Gasworks ProgramOrganisation Project title LGA Amount

Cowra Shire Council Further investigation at the former Cowra Gasworks (2010/CG/0005) Cowra $45,165

Cowra Shire Council Former Cowra Gasworks Remediation Cowra $500,000

Deniliquin Council Stage additional investigation at former Deniliquin Gasworks Deniliquin $25,725

Total $570,890


Innocent Owners ProgramOrganisation Project title LGA Amount

Mrs Marcia Milne and Mrs Jill Finn Young Battery Recyclers – additional investigation Young $14,883

Total $14,883


Table 7Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up grants awarded in 2011–12

Organisation IncidentDate of incident

Amount

Angophora Consulting Arborist

Arborist assessment of 51 trees poisoned by herbicide in Girraween Apr 11 $25,670.00

Arbor Barber Tree Services PL Removal of two herbicide-poisoned trees at Polo Crescent, Girraween Apr 11 $650.00

Attack Tree Removal and Rubbish

Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Gilba Road, Girraween Apr 11 $2,271.73

Bankstown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Hoskins Street, Bankstown 1 Nov 11 $5,949.10

Bankstown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Homedale Road, Bankstown 3 Jul 11 $6,190.00

Bellingen Shire Council Removal of two drums of hazardous chemicals at Hillside Drive, Urunga 7 May 12 $28,100.19

The Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up Program provides up to $500,000 a year for the clean-up or mitigation of emergency pollution events and the removal of illegally dumped waste (orphan waste). Funds are provided to councils and other land managers in cases where the polluter cannot be identified, or where there is uncertainty about the prospect of clean-up costs being paid for by the responsible party.

With the establishment of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) earlier this financial year the power to approve spending of Trust funds under this program was transferred to nominated officers within the EPA. Trust Administration and EPA staff work closely together on this program.

Fifty-nine grants were awarded in 2011–12 to address emergency or orphan waste pollution incidents with a total value of $390,449 (Table 7). Of this total, 40 grants worth around $100,000 were for the clean-up of illegally dumped asbestos waste.

Twelve grants worth more than $42,000 were awarded for the assessment and removal of poisoned trees at Girraween following a pollution event. This is the first time the Trust has funded this type of incident, which affected a substantial number of trees in the suburb. Up to $200,000 has been made available to cover the expected costs of assessing and removing all of the affected trees; this will continue into the next financial year. The EPA is currently investigating the pollution event and if this leads to a successful prosecution, the Trust will be reimbursed for its expenditure relating to the incident.

Following review of the program by IAB Services (completed in October 2010) the Trust approved revisions to the guidelines following extensive consultation with staff from OEH/EPA and the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW. All NSW local councils will be notified of the new program guidelines, which will be placed on the Trust’s website.

The main changes to the program are:

�� The minimum claim for individual orphan waste incidents is $2000.

�� Applicants must notify the EPA within three weeks of being made aware of an orphan waste incident.

�� Councils are able to claim on behalf of an individual who has had orphan waste dumped on their property (strict eligibility criteria applies).

�� Claims that have not been submitted within three months of being authorised will be cancelled.

These changes are aimed at improving the efficiency of the program and reducing the time taken to manage individual claims.

Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up Program

Dumped asbestos



Amount

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Delaware Road, Riverstone 18 May 11 $1,650.00

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Watchhouse Road, Prospect 3 Oct 11 $3,250.00

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Victoria Street, Riverstone. 24 May 11 $1,880.00

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Boiler Close, Prospect 31 May 11 $5,400.00

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Barton Street, Marsden Park 6 Sep 11 $7,371.93

Blacktown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Knudsen Reserve, Eskdale Street, Minchinbury 21 Sep 11 $2,570.00

Campbelltown City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Shaw Road, Ingleburn 26 Oct 11 $9,790.00

Clarence Valley Council Clean-up of asbestos at Kremnos Creek, Orara Way, Kremnos 13 Oct 11 $3,195.45

Comprehensive Tree Services

Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Oramzi Road, Girraween Apr 11 $400.00

Dolomatrix Aust PL Removal of liquid waste from Christie Street, St Marys following factory fire 23 Jan 12 $91,645.00

Dr H2O PL Removal of liquid waste from Christie Street, St Marys following factory fire 23 Jan 12 $1,184.00

Fairfield City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Frank Street, Wetherill Park, 25 Jan 10 $1,270.00

Fairfield City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Hanson Street, Old Guildford 11 Oct 10 $1,656.00

General Forest Tree Removal of herbicide-poisoned trees at Gilba Road and Palm Street, Girraween

Apr 11 $1,495.00

General Forest Tree Removal of herbicide-poisoned trees at Pamela Place, Girraween Apr 11 $2,300.00

Gregory Benson Removal of three herbicide-poisoned trees at Palm Street, Girraween Apr 11 $3,726.58

Hawkesbury City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Cornwells Lane, Richmond 27 Jul 11 $1,090.00

Hawkesbury City Council Clean-up of asbestos at the corner of Markwell Place and the Driftway, Agnes Banks

27 Jul 11 $1,160.00

Hawkesbury City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Pitt Town Bottoms Road, Pitt Town 24 Aug 11 $1,360.00

Hawkesbury City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Racecourse Road, Windsor 8 Feb 12 $1,610.00

Hawkesbury City Council Clean-up of asbestos at the corner of Markwell Place and the Driftway, Agnes Banks

8 Mar 12 $1,760.00

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Hoxton Park Reserve, Wilson Road, Hinchinbrook. 21 Jun 10 $543.64

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Whyalla Place, Prestons. 5 Aug 10 $570.00

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Bernera Road, Prestons 13 May 10 $754.54

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Jedda Road, Prestons 6 Sep 10 $963.64

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Yarrawa Road, Prestons 20 Jul 10 $988.18

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Homepride Avenue, Warwick Farm. 24 May 10 $1,012.73

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Yarrawa Road, Prestons 4 May 10 $1,091.80

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Huckstepp Serviceway, Liverpool. 23 Apr 10 $1,294.55

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Sixteenth Avenue East, West Hoxton. 10 Aug 10 $1,760.00

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Twentyeighth Avenue, West Hoxton 20 Apr 10 $1,953.64

Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up grants awarded in 2011–12 (cont)



Amount

Liverpool City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Herron Park, Riverside Road, Chipping Norton. 4 Aug 10 $2,002.73


Clean-up of asbestos at Vent Access Road, Sugerloaf State Conservation Area

4 Jan 12 $6,960.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Princes Highway Waterfall Nov 10 $6,545.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Cawleys Road, Helensborough Nov 10 $5,165.00


Clean-up of asbestos at the Conservation area, Helensborough Dec 10 $1,640.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Blue Mountains National Park, Tenth Avenue, North Leura

29 Sept 10 $4,063.60

Parramatta City Council Clean-up of oil slick in Parramatta River, downstream of Marsden Road, Parramatta

12 Nov 11 $13,686.35

Ryde City Council Clean-up of asbestos at Rutledge Street, Eastwood 10 May 10 $1,070.00

Strathfield Municipal Council

Clean-up of asbestos at Wentworth Street, Greenacre 2 Nov 11 $1,158.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Wentworth Street, Greenacre 20 Jan 11 $500.00


Clean-up of asbestos at the corner of Parramatta Road and Welfare Street, Homebush West

23 Feb 12 $500.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Naughton Street, Greenacre 16 Jan 12 $805.00


Clean-up of asbestos at Hope Street, Strathfield South 3 Jan 12 $873.00


Clean-up of asbestos at the corner of Bedford and Park Roads, Homebush West

10 Jan 12 $950.00

The Tree Doctor Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Carinya Street, Girraween Apr 11 $500.00

The Tree Doctor Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Girraween Road, Girraween Apr 11 $650.00

The Tree Doctor Removal of three herbicide-poisoned trees at Palm Street, Girraween Apr 11 $900.00

The Tree Doctor Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Girraween Road, Girraween Apr 11 $2,580.23

Transpacific Industries PL Removal of liquid waste from Christie Street, St Marys following factory fire 23 Jan 12 $106,203.90

Transpacific Industries PL Disposal of aluminium phosphide tablets brought into Kempsey Hospital, Kempsey

7 Feb 12 $406.00

Veolia Environmental Services (Australia)

Removal of liquid waste from Christie Street, St Marys following factory fire 23 Jan 12 $6,445.00

Warren Smith Removal of a herbicide-poisoned tree at Palm Street, Girraween Apr 11 $1,317.65

Total $390,449.16

Emergency Pollution and Orphan Waste Clean-up grants awarded in 2011–12 (cont)


�� a handbook on farm dam management for improved water quality and biodiversity outcomes

�� the delivery of workshops, demonstration sites and educational materials to encourage backyard biodiversity in Shellharbour

�� training workshops to educate community groups, resource management organisations and schools on estuary health in the south coast.

The following case studies showcase three of the successful education projects that were completed this year.

Last year’s Environmental Education grantees have so far engaged nearly 2300 people in workshops, field days and other project activities and trained 968 people through 77 training events. Over 550 school students have been involved in an educational activity, which is expected to increase to around 3600 once all projects are completed.

AchievementsThe Environmental Education Program aims to build community skills and knowledge in environmental management and encourage the community to act in a sustainable way. These aims are achieved by funding a range of educational projects that can demonstrate positive environmental outcomes.

Twenty environmental education projects concluded this year. Some of the achievements include:

�� a series of radio segments that educated NSW communities on environmental sustainability

�� education of rural residential landholders in sustainable land management in the Port Stephens area

�� education and training of surf life savers in managing sensitive coastal habitats

�� workshops and literature to promote the options available to landholders for private land conservation

�� engaging developers and local councils in sustainable urban development that will protect and enhance biodiversity

Environmental Education



Sustainable horse management for small farmsOne hundred and two people have increased their knowledge of sustainable land management through a series of workshops aimed at horse owners in semi-urban areas of southern NSW. With a grant of $23,409 from the Environmental Education Program, the Molonglo Catchment Group wanted to address concerns about land degradation on small horse properties by introducing owners to basic land management concepts.

Seven full-day workshops were held at various locations surrounding the ACT. Workshops focused on the relationship between horse health and specific land-management issues such as carrying capacity, managing native groundcovers (particularly grasses), managing weeds, controlling erosion and sustainable grazing practices. A supporting information pack provided participants with a booklet on managing horses on small properties, and further information on weeds, pest animals and local indigenous plant species.

Participants were encouraged to bring along aerial photos of their properties so that specific advice on their property could be given. Practical application of some of the workshop concepts was provided by conducting a field trip to a local property that demonstrated best practice management techniques.

Participants’ knowledge was assessed using a brief questionnaire at the start of workshops, and again through a similar online questionnaire 5-6 months after the workshop. While 90 per cent of landholders were actively managing weeds prior to the workshops less than half of the participants were actively protecting or enhancing native vegetation or controlling erosion around watercourses. Following the workshops participants reported that they were implementing many of the management practices recommended, with 71 per cent now managing native vegetation and 79 per cent actively controlling erosion. The workshops were found to be particularly useful to new property owners who lacked knowledge and experience in sustainable land management.

The workshops were promoted through various equestrian groups including pony clubs, showjumping clubs and dressage clubs, Equestrian NSW, local vets and two Landcare groups.


Little Green StepsLittle Green Steps aimed to increase sustainability in 11 children’s centres run by Canterbury, Hurstville, Leichhardt, Waverley and Woollahra councils. Over the course of a year 30 workshops were delivered to 254 early childhood teachers and centre staff, teaching them how to implement sustainable environmental actions and educational activities for children. Environmental action plans were prepared for each centre and four resource kits were developed addressing the major themes of nature, energy, water and waste.

The Little Green Steps project has greatly increased children’s opportunities to interact with nature. Some of the initiatives implemented include 15 new garden beds, increased use of potted plants, improved soil and mulching routines and greater use of a worm farm.

Together the 11 centres have achieved over 882 kilolitres of water savings by retrofitting dual-flush toilets, making greater use of rainwater tanks and fixing leaks. They have also achieved over 28,380 kilowatt hours in energy savings, which translates to 25 tonnes of CO2 savings per year. These savings have been generated through greater use of natural light, and reduced use of appliances such washing machines and clothes driers.

Nine centres have reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by an average of 29 per cent. This is equivalent to 352 wheelie bins being saved from landfill each year. Centres have increased their participation in recycling, particularly in regard to food, green waste and plastics.

Children at the participating childhood centres have increased their environmental awareness through hands-on education, observation and participation in more than 96 educational activities. Families and the wider community were engaged in the project through meetings, workshops, newsletters and displays.

To consolidate and further disseminate the achievements of Little Green Steps a kit has been developed to allow councils to spread the program to private childcare centres in their LGAs. These kits contain everything needed to run the program including a checklist of environmental initiatives tried by the 11 participating centres, the four teachers’ kits plus a range of extra resources, games and activities.

Horse expert Jane Myers and ecologist Alison Elvin talk to horse owners about pasture management.

Brochure promoting the Little Green Steps

program



Project AWARE on the coastProject AWARE on the coast is a unique marine conservation program that has developed in response to environmental concern about the degradation of marine rock platforms. Originally developed by Pittwater Council in 1995, many local government agencies on the coast are implementing the program to raise awareness of coastal habitats and engage local communities in marine conservation.

With a relatively small grant of $7,500 Port Stephens Council has educated 30 community members, increasing their understanding of coastal intertidal environments and how to protect them. Participants gained practical skills in identifying marine flora and fauna, conducting safe rock-platform excursions and communicating effectively to a variety of audiences.

The course took the form of three evening lectures and three field trips. The lectures focused on the ecology of intertidal rock platforms and seagrass habitats, the factors that affect these environments, and the rules and regulations surrounding conservation of these habitats. An existing Project AWARE manual was reviewed and updated to support the course. This included the addition of information on seagrass conservation which was a particular concern for the Port Stephens area.

An innovative and important part of Project AWARE is the requirement for all participants to undertake a community education project to pass on some of the knowledge they

Project AWARE participants inspect an intertidal rock platform

have learned to a broader audience. A wide variety of projects has been delivered to the Port Stephens community including guided rock pool walks, magazine articles, ongoing seagrass monitoring, presentations to community groups, information stands at markets and festivals and letterbox deliveries of educational brochures.

Participants have reported a range of benefits from attending the Project AWARE course. These include greater knowledge of marine life and better identification skills, greater confidence in presenting and communicating environmental knowledge, and the opportunity to build relationships with community members of different ages.


The Environmental Education Program provides $1,000,000 annually to community groups and State and local government organisations. The program aims to:

�� fund projects that attain one or more outcomes in the NSW Government’s Environmental Education Plan: Learning for Sustainability

�� change behaviours and address specific environmental problems

�� develop and promote education projects that improve the environment.

There was a very high level of interest in the Environmental Education Program again this year, with the Trust receiving 121 expressions of interest (EOI). As in previous years a total of $1,000,000 was offered, with $500,000 available to community groups and $500,000 available to State and local government organisations.

Thirty-two organisations were invited to submit full applications. Nine community projects were funded for a total of $478,981 (Table 8) and six State and local government projects were funded for a total of $394,236 (Table 9). Grantees funded through the 2011 program expect to train over 1800 people through 106 training sessions with 159 educational products to be developed.

Environmental Education Grants

To improve the quality of applications for the 2011 funding round the Trust held workshops for the Environmental Education Program with additional focus on project planning. Thirteen daytime and evening workshops were hosted during March and April 2011 with these workshops being attended by 150 participants. All applicants selected from the EOI stage were invited to consult with a project management contractor engaged by the Trust, to assist them in scoping and developing their projects. The Trust also ran webinars in March 2012 for successful 2011 grantees to assist them with the preparation of their Monitoring and Evaluation Plans.

For the 2012 funding round the Trust has also made it mandatory that all potential grantees invited to submit an application must work with the project management contractor engaged by the Trust in the development of their application.

The Trust undertook an evaluation of its Environmental Education Grant Program during 2011–12. The final report and recommendations are expected by the end of 2012.

Table 8Environmental Education community grants awarded in 2011–2012


BirdLife Australia The Powerful Owl project Auburn $77,023

Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre Inc. Marine biodiversity education using the ex-HMAS Adelaide Gosford $59,698

Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA)

One minute, one action, one planet: Simple steps to sustainability Sydney City $20,400

Community Environment Network Inc. Land for wildlife in the Great Eastern Ranges Wyong $92,000

Environmental Defenders Office Ltd (NSW) Influencing environmental outcomes: A guide to having your say Sydney City $58,464

Hawkesbury Environment Network Alive! Environmental youth engagement project Hawkesbury $75,000

Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society Inc.

Lane Cove bush kids Lane Cove $47,512

Solitary Islands Underwater Research Group (SURG) Inc.

Health of coral communities in the Solitary Islands Marine Park Coffs Harbour $34,164

Sustainable Living Armidale Inc. I can do it! – Living sustainably in our homes Armidale–Dumaresq

$14,720

Total $478,981


Table 9Environmental Education State and local government grants awarded in 2011–2012


Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA)

Accelerating sustainability in local government Sydney City $92,940

Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA)

Regional climate change risk summits for councillors Sydney City $89,834

North East Waste Forum Raising illegal dumping awareness in the northern rivers Tweed $49,625

NSW Department of Primary Industries Community reserve trusts actively supporting biodiversity Newcastle City $48,500

Sydney Coastal Councils Group Inc. Becoming social Sydney City $64,500

University of New England Reducing woodsmoke pollution through effective education Armidale–Dumaresq $48,837

Total $394,236



Moruya Public School kitchen gardenStudents, staff and parents at Moruya Public School are benefitting from a new vegetable garden that was designed to educate students and the wider community about the relationship between the environment and the production of clean healthy food. Thanks to their Eco Schools grant students are now learning at first hand the benefits of recycling organic waste and the skills needed to produce and prepare healthy school lunches.

Children were involved in every aspect of the kitchen garden, with activities linked closely with the curriculum to achieve learning outcomes in various subjects including maths, science, environmental studies, English and art.

Three large, raised vegetable gardens were constructed and an additional seven round gardens were made from old rainwater tanks. A range of vegetables has been produced including beetroots, beans, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, bok choy, carrots, zucchini and onions. A small orchard of fruit trees has also been established.

It was originally planned to use a worm farm to incorporate the use of recycled organics into the garden. However, the project committee considered that a chicken coop was a more sustainable option that was likely to engage the children at a greater level and better demonstrate the concept of recycling. The result was a mobile chicken coop

Now in its 12th year of operation the Eco Schools Program gives schools the opportunity to involve their students and community in developing and implementing environmental management projects. These projects aim to develop students’ knowledge, values and behaviour to support environmental sustainability and to allow children to identify, design, implement and monitor solutions that improve the quality of the school and local environment.

The program offers small grants of $2500 for projects that meet one or more of the program objectives. A whole-of-school approach to sustainable management is encouraged as is the development of links with the wider community to address local environmental issues.

The 2011 grant program attracted 122 applications requesting a total of $307,500. This was a significant increase over last year when schools were busy implementing works under the Australian Government’s Building the Education Revolution program. As in previous years, 60 grants were awarded totalling $150,000 (Table 10). Grants awarded in 2011 are expected to involve around 9800 primary and secondary school students.

In response to the growing demand for funding for food garden projects, the Trust has established a new program, Food Gardens in Schools. The objective of the program is to provide opportunities for students, teachers and other members of the school community to learn about healthy sustainable living through growing and harvesting food in school gardens.

Food Gardens in Schools will be trialled for two funding rounds in 2012 and 2013. Twenty grants of $3500 each will be made available for kitchen garden projects over a two-year period. A separate application process will apply for the Food Gardens in Schools Program, and the Eco Schools Program will not fund food gardens during this trial period.

The first round of grants for the Food Gardens in Schools Program was offered in March 2012. An evaluation and monitoring program will be managed by staff from the Trust and OEH Community Education section to establish the program’s effectiveness and inform decisions about its future.

The Trust undertook an evaluation of the Eco Schools Program during 2011–12. The final report and recommendations are expected by the end of 2012.

Eco Schools Program

The new vegetable garden and mobile chicken coop

known as the ‘Chook Tractor’ which is positioned over the garden bed and moved every few days. Six chickens fertilise the garden, eat the weeds and condition the ground by incorporating organic matter such as compost and kitchen scraps. The eggs produced by the chickens are used in the school canteen.

The project was supported by a group of parent volunteers who met one afternoon a week for garden maintenance as well as regular Saturday morning working bees.


Table 10Eco Schools grants awarded 2011–2012

Organisation Project title LGA

Airds High School Midannabu 'one mob' Campbelltown

Armidale High School Armidale High School indigenous garden Armidale–Dumaresq

The Armidale School Doody Park regeneration Armidale–Dumaresq

Balgownie Public School Development of a vegetable garden on school grounds Wollongong

Bedgerabong Public School Bedgerabong healthy scrub, healthy grub project Forbes

Beecroft Primary School Beecroft grounds renewal project Hornsby

Bellevue Hill Public School Native habitat garden and corridor Woollahra

Belltrees Public School Chooks to cucumbers Upper Hunter

Blacksmiths Public School Fresh fruit farm Lake Macquarie

Boorowa Central School BCS succeed Boorowa

Boronia Park Public School A new stage: edible garden learning environment Hunters Hill

Bowraville Central School Bowraville native fauna augmentation project Nambucca

Budawang SSP Budawang school community native garden and bike track Shoalhaven

Byron Bay Public School The evergreen team: sprouting sustainable gardening practices Byron

Camdenville Public School Reducing waste at Camdenville – integrated composting system Marrickville

Cameron Park School Organic food gardens for life, leisure and wellbeing Newcastle City

Central Tilba Primary Practical learning in food production and waste reduction Eurobodalla

Claremont College Claremont College student kitchen garden Randwick

Colo High School Building environmental leadership and bird biodiversity Hawkesbury

Coomealla High School Our land our food Wentworth

Croydon Public School Creation of sustainable vegetable gardens at Croydon Public School Burwood

Curl Curl North Public School The interactive garden Warringah

Elonera Montessori School Riparian habitat Wollongong

Gillieston Public School Traditional bush garden Maitland

Glenorie Public School Ready, set, grow Hornsby

Governor Philip King Public School Governor's gorgeous gardens and grounds project Fairfield

Halinda School For Special Purposes The meeting place – outdoor community classroom Blacktown

Hamilton North Public School Automatic watering system Newcastle City

Homebush Boys High School Energy wise at Homebush High Strathfield

Hornsby Heights Public School Edible garden, pond and outdoor learning amphitheatre Hornsby

Hunter School of the Performing Arts Eco warriors go native at HSPA Newcastle City


Organisation Project title LGA

Illawarra Environmental Education Centre Mobile response unit for student action for SEMPs Shellharbour

Kandeer School Going potty Albury

Kangaroo Valley Public School Landcare challenge for an outdoor classroom Shoalhaven

Kincumber High School KHS green team Kincumber native planting and bush regeneration project Gosford

Lake Macquarie High School Lake Macquarie High School bush tucker garden Lake Macquarie

Lisarow Public School Upgrade of billabong Gosford

Maclean High School Maclean High rainforest rehabilitation for future flying-fox habitat Clarence Valley

McCallums Hill Public School The native garden on the hill @ McCallums Hill Public School Canterbury

Metford Public School Bush regeneration and erosion control of outdoor school learning space Maitland

Morisset Public School Healthy endemic habitat garden: looking, learning and acting Lake Macquarie

Narrandera High School The 3 Rs - recycle, reduce and reuse Narrandera

Nazareth Catholic Primary School Sowing, growing and knowing – a sustainable garden at Nazareth Public School

Shellharbour

Newtown North Public School To grow to help – a community garden for an inner city school Sydney City

North Gosford Learning Centre Australian fauna and flora learnscape Gosford

Ocean Shores Public School Wetland fauna and water monitoring project Byron

Regina Coeli Primary School Regina gardens (kitchen gardens that grow food) Hurstville

Rosary Park Catholic School Outdoor learning regeneration/rehabilitation project Cessnock

St John's Primary Riverstone The garden buds: establishment of vegetable and bushtucker gardens Blacktown

St Mary's High School Gateshead Setting up the greenhouse Lake Macquarie

St Michael's Catholic Primary Nowra Biodiversity birds alive! Shoalhaven

St Paul's Catholic Primary School St Paul's – we are a green school! Shellharbour

St Paul's High School Habitat haven Lake Macquarie

St Therese's Community School Us Muurpa (Children) can make a difference with our land Broken Hill

Sawtell Public School The sanctuary – kitchen and habitat gardens at Sawtell Public School Coffs Harbour

Springwood Public School School vegetable garden stage 2 – outdoor learning area and hens Blue Mountains

Tomaree Public School Yarn up: native garden and Aboriginal learning and meeting place Port Stephens

Toongabbie Public School Restoration and sustainable development of the nature area Parramatta

Westdale Public School T.A.L.E. – Together a learning environment Tamworth

Wooli Public School Establishing a kitchen garden for junior students Clarence Valley

Total $150,000


The Environmental Research Program provides funding to projects that investigate solutions to environmental problems, reduce the environmental impact of major industries, increase our knowledge about environmental issues and improve the assessment of environmental degradation. Seeding grants are also available that allow researchers to trial new theories, techniques or indicators before embarking on a major research project.

AchievementsFourteen research projects were acquitted this year. Some of the major outcomes of these projects include:

�� improved rehabilitation and monitoring of aquatic environments through the development of laboratory cultivation techniques for seagrasses, the use of mussels as aquatic indicators of trace metal concentrations and the development of a new optical technique to measure water temperature and salinity

�� improved soil management through the use of hydrogels containing water-soluble calcium salts to improve soil salinity

�� better understanding of how climate change will affect biodiversity through the development of models for coastal fauna of NSW including responses to climatic variability and the effects of species interactions.

Last year’s grantees have reported 1400 hours of research over the past year which have led to the presentation of results at four scientific conferences and the development of six publications.

Major projectEast Coast LowsThis three-year major research program will increase our understanding of intense low pressure weather systems known as East Coast Lows (ECL). The $750,000-program consists of a series of linked projects investigating the effects of climate change on the occurrence and potential impact of ECL on the NSW coastline and ecosystems.

Eastern Seaboard Climate Hazard ToolThe Eastern Seaboard Climate Hazard Tool will build on and integrate existing datasets linking historical ECL events with information on their impacts. The review of existing datasets was completed this year and an interface for the Hazard Tool

Environmental Research

has been designed. The interface interrogates data archives from the Bureau of Meteorology and Manly Hydraulics Laboratory according to search parameters provided by the user. Feedback from major stakeholders including the State Emergency Management Committee, Climate Change Working Group and OEH has been positive and will ensure the interface is developed with user needs in mind.

Modelling future ECL frequency and intensityAn extensive evaluation of four ECL events has been completed using an ensemble of 36 simulations using various physical parameters. A scientific paper on the outcomes of this work has been accepted for publication in the journal Climate Dynamics. The evaluation has now been extended to eight ECL events covering all the types of events identified in previous studies.

The storm that grounded the ‘Pasha Bulker’ in 2007 is an ECL event which is being investigated in greater detail. It has been modelled at various spatial scales to identify the scale at which key features of the storm can be simulated.

Understanding long-term variability of ECLsThis project will investigate the magnitude and frequency of ECLs in the Trans-Tasman region over the past 1000 years. The project will provide the basis for risk assessments of extreme ECL events under natural and projected climate variability. The data collection phase is now complete and atmospheric circulation has been modelled from 800 to 1450 AD. A number of proxy climate indicators (pressure, rainfall, wave climate, fire, temperature) have been used to calibrate the climate pattern. A Trans-Tasman analysis of the circulation is currently being conducted.

Coastal system response and risk assessment of extreme ECL sequencesThis project aims to provide critical information for coastal planning, public infrastructure and the management of natural ecosystems. A pilot study was completed this year which has identified the storm sequence decades and the latitudinal influence of their coastal and flooding impacts. This information will guide the later phase of the project which will retrieve geo-historical records for coastal erosion, storm surge, estuarine inlet behaviour and coastal flooding impacts. Preliminary results from the pilot study have indicated that some of the towns located on geologically recent sand deposits are at great risk from altered wind and storm patterns associated with ECL.



Treatment of on-site landfill leachateLandfill is one of the most widely used methods for disposing of municipal solid waste. The degradation of the waste in combination with percolating rainwater leads to the generation of a highly contaminated liquid called leachate which poses a significant environmental and ecological health risk. The University of Wollongong received an Environmental Research seeding grant of $19,800 to investigate several innovative treatment technologies that would turn landfill leachate into high-quality treated effluent suitable for non-potable reuse.

In Europe rigorous treatment of landfill leachate is achieved through a process of coagulation-floculation followed by nanofiltration. This treatment is however quite costly. To overcome the limitations of this process, researchers proposed a hybrid three-phase process consisting of electrocoagulation, membrane distillation and ion exchange.

Raw landfill leachate was collected from Whytes Gully landfill in Wollongong. As well as evaluating the operational performance of the system, researchers also evaluated the removal efficiency of key contaminants including 10 heavy metals and 8 organic contaminants.

The first phase of electrocoagulation removes turbidity and particulate matter from the raw leachate which reduces fouling of the membrane in the subsequent filtration step. Use of a nanofiltration membrane demonstrated that the concentrations of all 10 heavy metals investigated could be reduced to levels within appropriate guidelines for non-potable water. The removal efficiency of trace organics ranged from 67 per cent to 97 per cent. One limitation is that the nanofiltration membrane has a very low capacity for removing sodium and hence the resulting water would require further chemical treatment if it is to be used for irrigation. Alternatively reverse osmosis with a high salt rejection capacity could be used, however this would increase the overall operating cost.

Membrane distillation allows for further extraction of clean water (up to 67 per cent) from the nanofiltration concentrate. Use of ion exchange was also evaluated for the recovery of ammonia from the filtered water.

Results from the project have confirmed the feasibility of the three-step treatment process and demonstrated that recovery of up to 75 per cent of water from landfill leachate could be achieved. The water quality is suitable for non-potable reuse although further work is required on reducing the level of sodium in the resulting water. Data from this project will allow for the design of a pilot-scale system and the selection of an appropriate nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane.


Integrated strategies for restoring grassy woodlandsThe invasion of native woodlands by exotic annuals has resulted in reduced native plant diversity, salinisation and soil erosion within these communities, many of which are now listed as threatened in NSW. Researchers from CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems have used a research grant of $112,191 from the Trust to assess a number of potential restoration techniques and facilitate their implementation in degraded woodland communities.

The project established two field demonstration sites near Albury to compare the effectiveness of three techniques – adding carbon in the form of sugar, spring burning and short intensive bursts of grazing (known as pulse grazing). The project also compared the effectiveness of different native grasses for resisting weed invasion and reducing soil nutrient levels, and examined the potential for integrating these strategies.

Adding sugar to the soil surface was found to be the most effective way of controlling exotic annuals. Sugar feeds soil microorganisms, which in turn use up soil nutrients and limit the growth of the nitrogen-loving exotics. However, each application only lasts three months making it a short-term and expensive option. It is therefore best used to provide a window of opportunity for establishing native species.

Exotic annual grasses were able to be suppressed by burning in spring prior to seeding. However, this method does not control broadleaf weeds such as Paterson’s curse. One to two weeks of intense grazing each spring achieved a similar result to burning by the third year but was not effective in the first two years. As for burning, pulse grazing did not control broadleaf weeds, but it is a technique that can be easily applied by land managers over relatively large areas.

As well as reducing weeds, all three of the techniques improved the vigour of native grass swards compared to sites where no intervention had occurred. In terms of establishing new native grasses the trials confirmed the common observation that native grass establishment is erratic and likely to fail in dry seasons. In better seasons, establishment was more successful in plots where the three treatment options had suppressed exotic annuals, but only where active sowing of the desired species had occurred. Kangaroo grass was found to be the most effective species for reducing soil nutrients and minimising weed growth.

Two successful field days were held at the demonstration sites and national exposure for the project was achieved through a story on ABC’s ‘Catalyst’ program in September 2010. Further extension of the project’s findings was achieved through a project newsletter, information leaflets, news items on various websites and conference presentations.


Environmental Research Grants

Interest in the Trust’s Environmental Research Program remains high and the program continues to be one of the most competitive research grant programs in Australia. The program provides a valuable source of funding for universities and other research organisations working in the field of environmental management.

The Environmental Research Program provides up to $1,000,000 annually to support research that meets one or more of the following objectives:

�� generate new knowledge or information to facilitate local solutions to environmental problems

�� discover new methods of operation for NSW industries that are less harmful to the environment

�� provide knowledge about general environmental problems

�� assess environmental degradation.

Grants are available under five major categories:

�� climate change (designated as the major category for three years from 2010–11)

�� biodiversity and conservation (including threats to biodiversity, conservation planning, marine parks research, ecological research, and restoration ecology)

�� integrated landscape management (including natural resource management, links between pressures and impacts, and the effectiveness of management activities)

�� environmental pollution (including environmental contaminants, and air, water, land and noise pollution)

�� resource efficiency and sustainability (including research on waste avoidance and management and resource recovery, and innovative technologies for improving efficiency of resource utilisation).

Major grants were awarded through a two-stage application process for projects of up to three years. Sixty percent of this year’s funding was allocated to projects addressing the major research category of climate change, with grants of up to $200,000 available. The balance was split between two minor grant categories – Environmental Pollution and Integrated Landscape Management – with grants of up to $100,000 available under each.

The Trust received 131 expressions of interest for the major and minor grant categories. The Research Technical Committee invited 18 full applications which were peer reviewed by scientific experts in the relevant field. Seven research projects were awarded to the value of $900,232 and a further three projects were subsequently funded as reserves bringing the total grants awarded to $1,298,924 (Table 11).

The Trust offers approximately $100,000 each year for seeding grants of up to $20,000 for projects that seek to test the viability of a research idea. Seeding grants were available for all five major grant areas. Fifty-six applications were received for the Seeding Grants Program, the highest number to be received in any year so far, requesting a total of $1,060,910. The Trust funded five research seeding projects totalling $84,770 (Table 12).

Grantees in the 2011 Environmental Research Program are expected to contribute over 16,000 hours of research, and are planning to present their findings at around 25 conferences and publish at least 25 scientific publications.

An independent evaluation of the Environmental Research Program is planned to occur in 2012–13.


Table 11Environmental Research grants awarded in 2011–12


Macquarie University Impacts of climate change on aeroallergens and allergic diseases Statewide $112,010

Macquarie University Remote sensing of temperature profiles in coastal and inland waters Statewide $118,038

Macquarie University Understanding and predicting southward range expansions of corals Statewide $199,129

NSW Department of Primary Industries

The adaptive capacity of native shrub-herbaceous legume populations Statewide $98,500

NSW Office of Water Impact of climate projections on water availability and adaptation Various $196,507

Office of Environment and Heritage Effects of alternate waste technology outputs on soil biota Statewide $99,000

Office of Environment and Heritage Hydrology of upland swamps on the Woronora Plateau Wollongong $100,000

University of New South Wales Connectivity and climate change in a hotspot of ocean warming Statewide $199,692

University of Technology, Sydney The role of vegetation structure in dampening climate extremes Statewide $80,088

University of Technology, Sydney The effect of pollution on marine macrophytes in New South Wales Statewide $95,960

Total $1,298,924

Table 12Environmental Research seeding grants awarded in 2011–12


Macquarie University Acid test for the capacity of estuaries to adapt to climate change Various $20,000

University of Newcastle Cryptic invader: green alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides in NSW Statewide $16,650

University of New England Carbon storage potential of the NSW national parks system Various $19,160

University of New England Determining ecological thresholds Statewide $19,500

University of Western Sydney Reactive oxygen species in acidified waterways: a new paradigm Various $9,460

Total $84,770


The NSW Government has committed to delivering $40 million over four years to protect strategic areas of high conservation value vegetation and ensure more green spaces across Sydney and NSW.

A package of programs has been developed to deliver this commitment. Two of these programs, the Green Corridor Reserves and the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program were already being funded by the Trust. Two additional programs commenced this year, these being the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative Phase 2, a continuation of the previously funded Great Eastern Ranges program, and Linking Landscapes, which will identify green corridors in the Sydney Region for possible public investment.

The Trust has established a new Biodiversity (Green Corridors) Subcommittee to guide the delivery of Green Corridors and its component programs.

Great Eastern Ranges Initiative Phase 2The Great Eastern Ranges (GER) Initiative has worked with over 120 organisations to build a conservation corridor on a continental scale from the Grampians in Victoria to far north Queensland along the Great Dividing Range and Eastern Escarpment. It has been the catalyst for building many linkages between existing natural reserves and isolated remnants of bushland on public and private land, and has secured habitat for the State’s endangered wildlife.

The Trust has awarded $4.4 million over four years to Greening Australia to expand the reach of the corridor within NSW and respond to the increasing demand from other groups to become involved. The project will specifically fund:

�� $1.05 million to support growth of the program and the development of a sustainable fundraising strategy

�� $1.12 million to continue funding for five existing regional partnerships

�� $450,000 to establish two new regional partnerships in priority areas

�� $1.18 million in grants for projects in the five existing and two new regional areas

�� $600,000 in grants for projects to expand the reach of the initiative along the full extent of the GER corridor in NSW

The first four years of the GER Initiative have established the foundations of the project by developing, testing, refining and consolidating effective approaches. During this time the GER Initiative has established itself as one of the leading examples of collaborative large-scale conservation programs in Australia. Successes that provide a platform for future delivery include:

Green Corridors Program

�� establishing over 150 voluntary agreements with landholders to improve protection and management of 16,195 hectares of habitat

�� delivering more than 60 projects, which provided $3.5 million in funds to grantees

�� developing positive relationships and recognition for the project by communities and partner organisations

�� providing an informative website and other communication materials to engage local communities, project partners and GER visitors.

A targeted approach to working in priority areas will continue with the development of two new partnership networks. Existing analysis of connectivity priorities will be used to guide the final decision about where these new partnerships will be formed. The decision will be based on biological values, connectivity need and perceived threat, the presence of suitable organisations to deliver collaborative programs and opportunities for continued development and testing of new approaches that will allow continued expansion and evolution of the GER Initiative.

The number of voluntary conservation agreements established on private lands during Phase 1 of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative.150

Ian Pulsford talking about the GER Initiative with Tim Flannery and John Doyle for the series ‘Two on the Great Divide’


Linking Landscapes through Local ActionThe Trust has awarded $10.074 million over four years to this program. The program will work with stakeholders in the Sydney Basin to identify green corridors and to secure better land conservation management within those corridors. It will also develop online mapping tools to allow public agencies to track lands which are protected through secure conservation mechanisms in NSW, including through this program.

The majority of project funds (around $9 million) is allocated for a program that targets public land managers in the Sydney Basin who are interested in establishing biobanking agreements on public land. Expressions of interest (EOI) for biobank sites will be sought from public land managers from August 2012 onwards. Successful EOIs will be selected based on the connectivity and biodiversity values of the land, the conservation security of the land and the cost-effectiveness of the investment.

The mapping will be developed in collaboration with local councils, catchment management authorities, government agencies and conservation interest groups. Land will be classified according to conservation priority (State, regional or local conservation priority) and by investment status (existing or proposed investment).

Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset ProgramNow in its fourth year of operation, the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program has resulted in the permanent protection of 326 hectares of land. This includes 249 hectares of threatened ecological communities, 75 hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain woodland, seven threatened plant populations and habitat for nine threatened fauna species. Of the 326 hectares, 165 hectares is protected through biobank sites and 161 hectares through the acquisition of land at Cranebrook.

This program aims to permanently protect some of the best remaining bushland in Western Sydney and surrounding regions to offset the environmental impact from the construction of an estimated 180,000 housing lots in these areas over the next 30–40 years. With its inclusion as part of the Green Corridors Program around $18 million will be available to deliver the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program over four years.

The program managers, OEH, received $4,245,000 from the Trust to deliver the program in 2011–12.

One of the key conservation outcomes achieved in 2011–12 was the establishment of a biobank site to protect and restore threatened woodlands on the property of Mater Dei near Cobbitty, owned by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. This site permanently protects:

�� 20 hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain woodland

�� 5 hectares of endangered Sydney coastal river-flat forest

�� known habitat for the Cumberland land snail (endangered species), speckled warbler (vulnerable species) and powerful owl (vulnerable species).

�� Potential habitat for an additional 10 threatened animal species, including the grey-headed flying-fox, diamond firetail, large-footed myotis and hooded robin.

Work is continuing at the other sites that the program has funded in previous years, including

�� the fencing of Wianamatta Nature Reserve to prevent illegal damage

�� ongoing bush regeneration at St Mary’s Towers biobank site at Douglas Park

�� fencing, rubbish removal and bush regeneration at the Beulah biobank site.

The number of hectares of the critically endangered Cumberland Plain woodland that have been protected so far through the Growth Centres

Biodiversity Offset Program.

Green Corridor ReservesThe Green Corridor Reserves project acquires strategic additions to the NSW reserve system by purchasing lands from willing landowners throughout NSW. Lands acquired will help protect key parts of green corridors, provide better linkages between existing reserves and consolidate existing reserves, hence facilitating better reserve management by improving their connectivity. Twelve million dollars is allocated to this project up to 2014–15.

Green Corridor Reserves forms a major component of the Trust’s existing Land Acquisition Program. The Trust provided $3.5 million to OEH for the strategic purchase of properties in the Gwydir and Lachlan valleys in 2011–12 under the theme of critical corridors and landscapes. For further information refer to the achievements of the Land Acquisition Program earlier in this report.

Cumberland Plain woodland on the Mater Dei biobank site

75

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/protectedareas/npestabplan.htm


Major projectAlternative waste treatment – mixed waste compost trialsAlternative waste treatment is the common term used in Australia to identify waste treatment plants that mechanically and biologically process and treat mixed waste. These plants divert waste away from landfill, recover additional resources from the waste stream and minimise the overall long-term impacts of waste disposal on the environment.

This year the Trust has funded a major project under the Waste and Sustainability Program that aims to better understand the nature and risk of using compost derived from mixed waste. The mixed waste stream contains a wide range of non-degradable materials including household appliances, old furniture, light globes and household chemicals. The physical, chemical and biological nature of this waste has an impact on the quality of the compost produced by alternative waste treatment plants.

This program will fund four separate research projects with a total value of $2.73 million:

�� Project 1 will define the basic physical characteristics of mixed-waste compost and determine whether physical contaminants such as glass, metal and plastics harm the soil environment.

�� Project 2 will involve a large-scale field trial to assess the risks and benefits associated with the use of mixed-waste compost using field-based crop and soil response trials by the Department of Primary Industries.

�� Project 3 will assess the impacts of leachate from mixed-waste compost in various environmental and soil conditions as well as an assessment of the toxicity of the leachate.

�� Project 4 will assess the benefits and risks associated with the use of mixed-waste compost when applied to 11 different soil types. This trial will be undertaken by the University of New England and will build upon the field results of Project 2.

The outcomes of these research projects will be used to review the current regulations relating to the land application of mixed-waste-derived compost. Specifically the results will identify the contaminants of concern from a human health and environmental perspective, and refine the on-site management controls, sampling requirements and monitoring regimes.

The Waste and Sustainability Program is designed to support the implementation of the NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy which provides the framework for reducing waste and making better use of resources.

The 2010 Progress Report on the strategy shows that good progress has been made towards meeting resource recovery targets for 2014. In 2008–09 NSW recycled 59 per cent of its waste, up from 52 per cent in 2006–07 and 45 per cent in 2002–03.

These improvements in recycling rates and work on waste avoidance are supported by a range of initiatives including support for councils and regional waste groups; waste minimisation campaigns; business sustainability programs; and a range of resource recovery projects aimed at growing markets for recovered resources and reducing the amount of recyclable materials sent to landfill.

The Waste and Sustainability Program is overseen by a Trust subcommittee which provides advice and recommendations on strategic issues, funding allocation and progress of projects. Nearly $11 million was provided to OEH in 2011–12 for delivery of seven major program areas (Table 13). Some of the achievements for the year are highlighted in the following pages.

Up until this year the majority of projects in the Waste and Sustainability Program have been delivered by the Sustainability Programs Division of OEH which works in partnership with State and local government, businesses, non-government organisations and the community.

In May 2012 the Trust approved separate waste and sustainability programs to commence in 2012–13 due to the split in functions between EPA and OEH which occurred in February 2012. Waste programs will be managed by EPA which is now the sole agency responsible for the delivery of waste and recycling programs, illegal dumping and littering in NSW. Sustainability initiatives will continue to be managed by OEH.

Initial funding of both programs will be for 12 months. This will allow time for the outcomes of current government initiatives, in particular a review of the Waste and Environment Levy which was announced in January 2012. This review will evaluate the impact of the waste levy on the recycling industry, and on households. It will also evaluate funding arrangements to facilitate greater investment in infrastructure with local councils and industry, and consider the impact of the waste levy on illegal dumping. The results of the review are expected to influence future waste and sustainability programs.

Waste and Sustainability Program


E-waste continues to be a growing issue, particularly with the switchover to digital TV that is currently happening in NSW. RENEW NSW has been actively working with the TV and Computer Product Stewardship Scheme to prepare for its implementation in rural and regional NSW in 2013. In 2011–12 the regional groups facilitated events for the collection of discarded televisions and computers from households resulting in over 437 tonnes of e-waste collected for recycling.

96 The number of regional councils involved in Voluntary Regional Waste Groups in NSW. These groups make collection and recycling of waste more

efficient for small regional councils.

Regional Illegal Dumping SquadsThe Trust provided $406,000 to support the Western Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad in 2011–12. The RID Squad is a specialised operational task force that investigates illegal dumping incidents and takes action against offenders, organises clean-ups, tracks down illegal landfills, identifies changes and trends in illegal dumping on a regional basis and educates the community about illegal dumping.

The Western Sydney RID Squad was established in 1999. With support from the EPA, the seven member councils (Bankstown, Baulkham Hills, Fairfield, Holroyd, Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith) have formed a partnership to ensure illegal dumping is addressed through a combined regional strategy. In 2011–12 the Western Sydney RID Squad investigated 3515 illegal dumping incidents involving more than 29,000 tonnes of waste. Investigations resulted in 74 clean-up notices and 339 penalty notices being issued.

The Trust has previously funded a RID squad in the Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla regions. The EPA is currently working with the Southern Council Group to establish an expanded regional illegal dumping program to begin in 2013 with seven councils in the Illawarra and South Coast regions of NSW. Member Councils will include Wingecarribee, Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Valley.

Sustainability AdvantageSustainability Advantage helps medium to large organisations identify and implement projects in practical areas such as resource efficiency, supply chain, staff engagement and carbon management.

Sustainability Advantage membership has nearly doubled over the past four years to 630 organisations, demonstrating the growing demand from business for help to reduce costs, improve their environmental performance, add business value and improve competitiveness and environmental performance.

Sustainability Advantage has helped its members achieve cumulative savings of around $97 million from reductions in electricity (157,000 megawatt hours), gas (792,000 gigajoules), water (5408 megalitres), waste (150,000 tonnes),

Table 13Waste and Sustainability Program funds in 2011–2012

Program area Funding approved

Local government $2,984,301

Business $3,660,000

Community organisations $915,000

State Government $175,000

Homes $1,750,000

Sustainability support $905,000

Environmental protection and regulation programs $570,000

Total $10,959,301

NOTE: The Trust approved these program areas and paid OEH these amounts. During April 2012 these amounts were split between OEH and EPA.

Regional and local government supportThe RENEW NSW program delivers support to rural and regional NSW to improve resource recovery from waste by tackling the challenges associated with the vast distances, remote townships and low population base. In 2011–12 the Trust provided $1.56 million to support delivery of waste and recycling projects by the eight Voluntary Regional Waste Groups that have a combined membership of 96 rural and regional NSW councils.

Through the council alliances the Voluntary Regional Waste Groups have been effective in gaining critical mass of materials to make collection of materials more efficient. Partnering in domestic waste and recycling contracts and sharing infrastructure have enabled services to be delivered efficiently to remote households.

Regional contracts for other materials are keeping valuable resources out of landfill. In 2011–12 these regional contracts recycled:

�� 23,240 tonnes of scrap metal

�� 356,356 cubic metres of garden organics

�� 653,792 agricultural chemical drums

�� 298,126 litres of used oil.

Sharing resources and infrastructure, particularly in rural and regional areas, are key elements to achieving waste reduction and reducing negative environmental impacts. One example is the trial of a mobile glass crusher with mid-western councils. The crusher grinds glass to a size that replaces use of natural sand in local council construction works. Establishing local markets is particularly important for regional and remote communities that are challenged by considerable distances and costs to get materials to end markets for recycling.


carbon dioxide (229,956 tonnes). Through workshops and one-on-one support, members are encouraged to use resources more efficiently, to integrate environmental strategies into their business planning and engage key stakeholders including employees on environmental issues. Feedback has shown that members value the flexibility of the program which allows them to focus on their own priorities. A survey of members in 2010 showed that 84 per cent would recommend the program to others.

Businesses participating in the Sustainability Advantage program employ over 350,000 people in NSW and include corporate, not-for-profit and government entities. They are drawn from many industry sectors including manufacturing, agribusiness, commercial property, registered clubs, health and aged care and education. Around 50 per cent of members are based outside Greater Sydney with regional organisations now delivering over 67 per cent of total savings.

More than 25 per cent of members are now acknowledged through the Sustainability Advantage recognition scheme with two new organisations – O-I Sydney (ACI Glass


Compass Housing Services – Sustainability Advantage Silver MemberCompass Housing is a not-for-profit organisation that alleviates the hardship of housing stress for disadvantaged families by providing secure and affordable homes throughout NSW. Despite rapid growth that has seen the company double in size, Compass wants to lower its carbon footprint by reducing resource consumption and cutting waste. The company is achieving these goals through sustainable business initiatives.

Along the way, Compass is also helping its residents reduce their impact on the environment and lower their costs of living. With a champion in each office Compass has:

�� encouraged residents and staff to adopt a sustainable lifestyle to conserve resources and save money

�� established a sustainable lifestyle program for its tenants that includes health and nutrition, emotional wellbeing, community contributions and sustainable living

�� established Envirobuild, where housing is constructed from sustainable resources

�� employed smart metering to encourage reductions in energy and water use

�� developed a waste system that separates organic material, paper and cardboard, and mixed recyclables

�� included hybrid vehicles in the company fleet

�� upgraded all toilets to dual flush.

Packaging Australia PL) and TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute – being recognised as Gold Partners this year (making four Gold Partners in total).


FleetwiseThe NSW FleetWise program was launched in 2010 to help fleet managers reduce costs and greenhouse gas and other emissions from light fleet vehicles.

Previously funded under the Trust’s Clean Air, Healthy Communities Program, Fleetwise is now being implemented as part of the Sustainability Advantage program. The program directly benefits the financial bottom line of participating NSW businesses by helping fleet managers to reduce operating costs and overheads. It provides knowledge and skills to help with buying greener vehicles, using cleaner fuels and improving fleet management through strategies such providing GPS navigation devices and EcoDriver training.

To date FleetWise has delivered information and seminars to approximately 80 organisations across NSW, with 35 organisations joining the program from the government, not-for-profit and business sectors. Feedback from the program’s partners was very positive, particularly on its responsiveness, depth of knowledge and practicality. On average, partners have identified a minimum of 10 per cent fuel and emission savings and are on track to achieve them. Foundation partners News Limited and City of Sydney who assisted in the 2008–09 pilot are demonstrating fuel and emission savings of 29 and 20 per cent respectively.

Delivery of the program will move towards a ‘stand alone’ model by December 2012 enabling fleet managers to develop a baseline and fleet improvement plans with minimal support. The success of the FleetWise model has attracted the attention of heavy vehicle operators with the result that a version of the program is now being piloted with small to medium-sized trucking and transport businesses in regional NSW.

Information about the program is at www.cleartheair.nsw.gov.au/fleetwise.

Members of TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute receive their Sustainability Advantage Gold Partner award from Minister Robyn Parker.

http://www.cleartheair.nsw.gov.au/fleetwise


Creating markets for recycled organics across NSWRecycled organics or ‘compost’ is made from organics materials that are separated from business and household waste at over 70 facilities across NSW. These products are made from garden organics, food, wood/timber and other organic materials. Through Trust-funded EPA programs and industry support the market for compost products has seen strong growth, averaging seven per cent per year for the past ten years. In 2011 some 1.7 million cubic metres of composted products were sold, an increase of a million cubic metres in the past ten years.

The successful Market and Industry Development Program rolled out more projects in 2011–12, continuing the partnership with the compost industry. This program is designed to develop markets for composted products in NSW, and support professional development of the composting industry. The main platform for delivery of this program is the employment of a Market and Industry Development Officer who has worked with the EPA in delivering activities such as field days on vegetables, avocados, bananas, blueberries, soil biology, mine site rehabilitation and viticulture.

Two exciting initiatives have been the establishment of a Microscope Club in the lower Hawkesbury and the development and promotion of Soil Health Kits. These initiatives aim to encourage farmers to improve and monitor their soil health by using organic inputs such as compost. The development officer has played a key role in both of these projects.

The Microscope Club has been a partnership between the Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority, the University of Western Sydney and the Hawkesbury Harvest Trail. An average of 25 farmers have attended each monthly session, where as well as being able to look at their own soil under the microscope, landholders have had the benefit of a range of guest speakers.

The Soil Health Kits provide landholders with some basic tools for analysing their own soils. The kits were received enthusiastically at the growers’ workshops where the development officer delivered practical information about using the kit.

Bin Trim – helping small business in NSW to recycle NSW businesses send more than 2.5 million tonnes of business waste to landfill each year. Small to medium business enterprises contribute 45 per cent of this business waste.

Bin Trim is a new program that is assisting businesses to reduce their waste and increase recycling. Bin Trim is a simple electronic tool and supporting education program that allows a business to measure their waste and gives tailored information to reduce, reuse and recycle materials.

In 2011–12 the EPA partnered with OEH to pilot the Bin Trim tool and assessment process through the Sustainability Advantage program. The pilot has successfully helped 105 businesses to reduce waste and make major improvements to their recycling programs. Businesses have saved an

97 million dollars saved by Sustainability Advantage members through productivity and resource savings.

Sustainable materials management

Building new recycling infrastructure for packaging wastes – glass and polystyreneThis year the Trust and EPA have partnered with the Australian Packaging Covenant to undertake two projects aimed at increasing the recovery of glass fines and expanded polystyrene (EPS) from the waste stream. At least two glass-crushing facilities will be installed in regional NSW and 19 EPS recycling units will be installed in Sydney and regional NSW during 2012 and 2013. The goal of the projects is to increase and sustain EPS recycling by at least 600 tonnes a year and glass by at least 9000 tonnes a year.

During 2011–12 business plans were prepared to help inform the delivery of this infrastructure in partnership with councils and businesses. In both cases it was determined that funding for recycling infrastructure was best delivered through a competitive grants program. This allows the new recycling infrastructure to be owned and operated by councils, not-for-profit organisations and businesses that are either experienced providers of recycling services or generate (or aggregate) large quantities of EPS in their own right.

The EPS Recycling Equipment Grants Program ran from 20 April to 25 May 2012. There was significant interest in the grants program, with 37 applications submitted. Seven local councils, eight businesses and four not-for-profit organisations have been awarded grants of up to $50,000 to purchase and operate expanded polystyrene recycling equipment. The applicants are expecting to recycle 1183 tonnes of EPS annually through this program.

Training resource recovery staff to use expanded polystyrene recycling equipment


average of 41 tonnes of recyclables from landfill each year. Some examples of these outcomes include:

�� Seven businesses in the Taree–Coffs Harbour region introduced improvements that will increase recycling by 192 tonnes a year in the region.

�� Bellorana Nursing Home introduced new paper and co-mingled recycling facilities that have increased their recycling by 28 tonnes a year. They are now working on reducing their food waste.

�� Livingstone International, a product importer and distributor, has installed new bins and signs that have increased recycling by 78 tonnes a year.

�� IRT Links Seaside Residential, a housing and care provider, used Bin Trim to save 185 tonnes of recyclables from landfill each year.

The EPA partnered with Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW to develop a Bin Trim training program. Six training sessions will be held in 2012–13 for councils, business and the waste/recycling collection industry.

BusinessRecycling.com.au This online directory offers the opportunity for recycling businesses to register their services free of charge making it easy for other businesses to find nearby reuse and recycling services. Since its launch in June 2010, 12,735 recycling services have been added to the site and over 460,000 visits and over 1.3 million page views have been recorded nationally. Close to 4000 recycling services and 41 per cent of the visits are registered from NSW.

Computers and computer accessories are the materials most searched for, followed by cardboard, printer cartridges, video and audio tapes and paper. This site also provides useful information on material characteristics, relevant news and events concerning the waste and recycling industry, case studies and research and advice on how to choose the right recycler.

Training for the waste and recycling industryIn 2011–12 the EPA continued to deliver its successful training program for operators of waste and recycling facilities to improve environmental management, work health and safety and to increase the quality and quantity of materials recycled. The Waste and Resource Recovery Facility Workers Manual training is delivered by the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW.

This year the manual was updated and 184 people were trained from the waste and recycling industry and local councils at seven workshops across NSW. The manual was supplemented with good examples on the use of resource recovery exemptions, work health and safety, de-construction of buildings, the BusinessRecycling.com.au online directory and timber recovery initiatives. Site tours of recycling facilities were arranged for the participants.

A survey of the training workshops identified a need to update the manual with information on new Work Health and Safety legislation that came into effect from 1 January 2012. Other updates include information on resource recovery tools and other resources available to the industry, and information on clinical waste handling.

413 The number of industry and council staff who have received training over the past two years to improve environmental management,

occupational health and safety and recycling outcomes at waste and recycling facilities in NSW.

Developing markets for wood and timber Sydney businesses throw out nearly 300,000 tonnes of timber each year, and about 140,000 tonnes of this is pallets and crates which can either be reused or recycled.

As an Australian first, an online calculator has been developed in partnership with the Timber Development Association to show the environmental benefits of recycling wooden pallets and packaging. The calculator was officially launched in June 2012 at Direct Pallets and Recycling in Ingleburn, a recently established business that is now recycling 18,000 tonnes of timber pallets each year. The calculator is available online on the National Timber Product Stewardship website (www.timberstewardship.org.au/calculator).

The EPA has also been developing markets for clean sources of wood and timber. A major market close to Sydney is the poultry industry which uses over 330,000 cubic metres of sawdust bedding each year. During 2011–12 the EPA partnered with the Timber Development Association to establish two demonstration trials at poultry farms, developed a Quality Control Guideline for the timber recycling industry, and ran three training workshops for timber recyclers and the poultry industry on manufacturing and using poultry bedding from recycled wood. These workshops were attended by 52 people. The EPA will continue to support timber recyclers and the poultry industry through training to help develop this valuable market for recycled timber in NSW.

Aboriginal Lands Clean-upThe Aboriginal Lands Clean-up Program encourages Local Aboriginal Lands Councils (LALC) to work in collaboration with their local council to develop projects that clean up and prevent illegal dumping on Aboriginal-owned lands. The objectives of the program are to reduce the number of illegal dumping incidents in and around Aboriginal communities, build capacity to develop improved land management practices and improve community health, social wellbeing and education.

The program provided funding for five new projects totalling $220,165 which will be implemented in 2012–13.

�� Armidale LALC with Uralla Shire Council ($24,680)

�� Darkinjung LALC with Wyong Shire Council ($50,000)

�� Deerubbin LALC with Penrith City Council ($49,865)

Over the past two years 413 personnel from across the industry have been trained, with very positive feedback. The EPA will continue the training program in 2012–13 to meet the needs of the industry to achieve better environmental, work health and safety and recycling outcomes.


�� Dareton LALC with Wentworth Shire Council ($45,620)

�� Tweed Byron LALC with Tweed Shire Council ($50,000).

The 29 partnership projects completed since the program’s inception have resulted in 5184 tonnes of illegally dumped waste being cleaned up, with:

�� 3047 tonnes reused

�� 1077 tonnes and 35 car bodies recycled

�� 790 tonnes of waste and 270 tonnes of asbestos safely disposed of to landfill.

Love Food Hate WasteThe Love Food Hate Waste Program was developed by the NSW Government to tackle the increasing issue of food waste. Across NSW more than 1.2 million tonnes of food waste is sent to landfill each year. Love Food Hate Waste provides tips and tools for households and businesses to reduce food waste and raise awareness about the environmental and financial impacts of food waste.

In 2011–12 Love Food Hate Waste launched a business extension of the program to support small and medium businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors to avoid food waste and to encourage the donation of surplus, edible food to charity.

The number of partners involved in the program has continued to grow. More than 130 strategic partnerships have been forged to promote and extend the reach of the program. More than a third of all NSW councils are now program partners, along with community organisations, businesses and other government agencies.

In 2011–12 a second round of funding was offered to help program partners deliver community education projects. Seventeen grants totalling $292,050 were provided to continue the on-ground, local delivery of the Love Food Hate Waste Program. New projects include a Love Food Hate Waste smart phone application, a film competition and supermarket information sessions.

Household Chemical CleanOutThe Household Chemical CleanOut program has been facilitating the collection, treatment, recycling and safe disposal of household hazardous materials throughout NSW since 2003. Working in partnership with local government the program establishes temporary collection sites that allow the community to easily dispose of common household chemicals and other hazardous materials in an environmentally acceptable manner.

In 2011–12 the Trust provided funding of $2.25 million to support 44 collections held throughout the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions. A total of 30,042 households participated in the CleanOut program with 1.12 million kilograms of hazardous materials being either recycled or safely disposed of. Community support and participation rates continue to grow with more than 3300 additional households participating in the scheme compared to the previous year and an extra 137,518 tonnes of waste disposed of.

Paint continues to be the largest material type collected, accounting for 55 per cent of the total material collected over the life of the program. After paint, oils (15 per cent) and batteries (12 per cent) are the most common materials collected.

Preliminary work is continuing for the development of a network of fixed drop-off facilities for low toxic materials such as paint, oil, gas bottles and batteries. This will further enhance the availability and efficiency of this essential service.

Funding of $301,000 was provided for household chemical collections in regional areas of NSW resulting in 65,675 kilograms of waste being collected for recycling or safe disposal.

30,042 The number of households in the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions who took

advantage of CleanOut events to safely dispose of unwanted chemicals this year.

Dumped car bodies on Aboriginal land

Some of the materials collected at a typical CleanOut event


River Red Gums Program

The Red Gums Program was created in response to the permanent protection of 107,000 hectares of river red gum forests in the Riverina area by the NSW Government in 2010. The program comprises a number of packages designed to assist the timber industry, businesses and local communities in the Riverina to adjust to the changes that will result from the incorporation of large areas of river red gum forest into national parks, regional parks and Indigenous Protected Areas.

Three of these packages are administered by the Trust under amendments to the Forestry Restructuring and Nature Conservation Act 1995. The Trust is responsible for delivering $50 million of the $97 million River Red Gums Program support package:

�� The Forestry Industry Restructuring component provides $36.5 million until June 2013 for business exit assistance, worker exit assistance and industry development assistance.

�� The Murray Program provided $1.5 million until June 2012 for affected Forest NSW staff in Deniliquin who work on relevant river red gum related projects.

�� The Regional Employment and Community Development Fund provides $12 million until June 2013 for grants to help local businesses and community groups in the Riverina to create additional employment opportunities.

Forestry Industry RestructuringThis year $2.34 million of assistance was provided to the forestry industry for business development and to support individuals and businesses wishing to leave the industry (Table 14). To date 177 people have been supported to leave the timber industry with 94 using the financial assistance to engage in training. Twenty-two businesses and ten harvesting or haulage contractors have also received support to exit the industry.

Ten businesses have received development assistance to date, with eight of these receiving support for business development, one for flood mitigation works and one receiving support for a new timber mill.

Murray ProgramThe Murray Program aims to support natural resource management and enhance capacity in the management of protected river red gum areas by Murray CMA staff. It also provides support for economic development and jobs within the Riverina red gums region. Funding for the Murray Program concluded this year.

The Edward–Wakool watering plan and community water sampling was a key highlight of the program. Considerable

community input was incorporated into the development of the watering plan and a joint community and agency water quality monitoring program has been implemented, with a specific emphasis on dissolved oxygen. This program allowed a proactive and coordinated response to be implemented to manage blackwater events that occurred this year as a result of natural flooding.

Monitoring of waterbird populations during flood events at Wanganella Swamp has provided useful baseline information that will assist in the future management of environmental water in the Billabong Creek/Forest Creek system.

Two high-profile threatened species management partnerships were formed with the Deniliquin and Barham golf clubs, targeting the superb parrot and bush stone-curlew. These partnerships have successfully demonstrated that management of threatened species and other land-use practices can occur in a mutually beneficial manner.

Murray CMA has been working with Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, OEH and the Deniliquin Aboriginal Land Council to develop capacity for the Aboriginal community to manage the proposed Werai Indigenous Protected Area. A joint application between Yarkuwa and Murray CMA to the Australian Government was successful in securing an additional $150,000 for capacity building which will add significant value to the funds provided by the Trust.

Jobs and economic development in the region have been supported through the employment of displaced staff from Forests NSW, the recruitment of local Aboriginal community members and the employment of social scientists to incorporate social and economic outcomes into the Catchment Action Plan and programs more generally. A community forum, ‘Deniliquin 2020’, provided the community with an opportunity to identify and develop social and economic programs that build on the creation of the new parks.

Regional Employment and Community Development FundThe second and final round of grants under the River Red Gums Program Regional Employment and Community Development Fund were allocated this year. As the total funding was significantly less than the first round ($9,478,607) some changes were proposed to streamline and simplify the grants process and provide better economic outcomes. The funding round was restricted to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As the fund is primarily a job replacement initiative it was considered that SMEs have the most potential for creating substantive, long-term jobs. This sector was also considered to be underrepresented in Round 1. Targeting SMEs was also considered to


complement the NSW Government’s Jobs Action Plan initiative which provides payroll tax rebates for businesses on newly created jobs.

The application process was simplified to a one-stage process with detailed applications sought from all applicants (as opposed to Expressions of Interest that were called for in Round 1).

Twenty-seven projects totalling $2,505,651 were approved for funding (Table 15). These projects will provide financial support to local businesses for a variety of purposes including

�� the purchase of new equipment to expand businesses

�� renovation of disused shops for new retail or food outlets

�� the upgrade of factory infrastructure

�� the establishment or expansion of fruit processing and juicing plants

�� computer software upgrades and training.

As of June 2012 most of the 68 projects supported by the Riverina Red Gum Regional Employment and Community Development Program are yet to be fully implemented. Progress reports from grantees however indicate that at least 75 direct jobs and 100 indirect jobs have been created or retained in the region as a result of this initiative.

The following case studies demonstrate some of the economic and social benefits that the fund has delivered to Riverina communities from four completed projects.

Table 14River Red Gums Forestry Industry Restructuring and Murray Program funding in 2011–12

Program area Funding approved

Forestry Industry Restructuring $2,341,004

Murray Program $750,000

Total $3,091,004


Pacdon Park gourmet foodsPacdon Park at Moama is a specialist producer of gourmet British foods such as pork sausages, pork pies, cured meats, black pudding and haggis. The pork is locally grown and free-range. Previously operating from a rural property on the banks of the Murray River at Moama, Pacdon Park was awarded a $70,000 grant from the Regional Employment and Community Development Fund that enabled it to move its production facility closer to town and open a retail outlet. The aim of the relocation was to gain better access to employees and connect to town facilities, therefore increasing production volumes and efficiency. The second aim of the project was to increase distribution and access to the tourist market.

A new production facility was built within an old dairy shed on the outskirts of Moama. A complementary factory shop ‘Pacdon Park Pantry’ is open five days a week. The shop was opened in July 2011 and currently employs one full-time retail assistant. Since opening the shop traffic has increased from an average of five customers a week to 40 a week in the peak summer tourist season. These numbers are expected to increase further with the launch of a new gourmet food and wine trail in October 2012.

A refrigerated van and the appointment of a full-time delivery driver has allowed for the establishment of home deliveries through the company website, and wider wholesale distribution to businesses and restaurants. Weekly delivery routes have been established servicing Bendigo, Shepparton, Benalla and Melbourne, with other routes to Deniliquin and Albury being developed.

Pacdon Park Pantry retail outlet


Table 15River Red Gums Regional Employment and Community Development grants awarded in 2011–12


Alpine Machinery Integrated workshop and display facility Murrumbidgee $82,000

Balranald Bakery Bread make-up plant Balranald $100,000

Balranald Pizza and Takeaway Business expansion and employment of staff Balranald $85,000

Barham Avocados Development of avocado processing and packing facility Wakool $199,650

Berrima Engineering Pty Ltd Roller bar hay rakes – excellence in marketing and production Deniliquin $55,000

Charlie Carp Ltd Factory infrastructure upgrade Deniliquin $187,000

Colybuilt Pty Ltd Colybuilt off-road vans Murrumbidgee $102,600

Coolibah Café Re-open café and create new offices/shops in Darlington Point Murrumbidgee $49,300

Davis Supermarket Supermarket expansion Murrumbidgee $80,000

Deni Car Care Brake speciality servicing, vehicle diagnostics and repair Deniliquin $15,000

Deniliquin Bakery New pie freezer and conversion of wholesale bakery to solar power Deniliquin $50,000

Deniliquin Cabinet Makers Systems upgrade to enhance penetration of Melbourne markets Deniliquin $45,000

Downes Rice Hulls Pty Ltd Rice hull bale compression technology Deniliquin $100,000

FAD Steel Pty Ltd FAD Steel frame and truss fabrication plant establishment Berrigan $190,000

Heath's Butchery Heath's Butchery refurbishment of existing premises and equipment Murrumbidgee $57,810

Ibis Target Products Business expansion and capital investment to produce custom-designed canopies and tray bodies

Wakool $90,000

Kurrnung Matlock Pty Ltd Citrus juicing plant Wakool $199,410

'Lucerne at Balranald' Bagged lucerne mulch Balranald $83,000

Mathoura Plumbing Extension to existing business Murray $35,000

Moama Foodstore Earth, Food and Wine Store Murray $50,000

MON Foods Pty Ltd MON Foods re-establishment and improvement of production facility Berrigan $200,000

NJ Kitchens Purchase a new edge banding machine Wakool $40,000

Redgum Country Motor Inn Update, renovate and refurbish motel units Murray $90,000

Rothiemay Pty Ltd Construct a purpose-built shed for the engineering of coulters Berrigan $120,000

Tocumwal IGA Plus Liquor Shop extensions Berrigan $156,681

Turps Tendercut Butchery Flooring for smoking and cryovac facilities Balranald $20,000

Wakool Hotel Outdoor entertaining and dining area Wakool $23,200

Total $2,505,651


Left: A flyer advertising the Finley Farmers’ Market Above: Patrons enjoy a cuppa at the new Finley Farmers’ Market


Finley Farmers’ MarketWith a grant of $50,000 from the Regional Employment and Community Development Fund Finley Chamber of Commerce has established a monthly farmers’ market that has become a social highlight for many of the town’s residents. The project sought to provide farmers with an alternative outlet for their farm products to offset an economic downturn exacerbated by drought and reduced water availability. The monthly market also had the potential to have flow-on effects to local businesses as a result of the increased pedestrian traffic in the town centre.

Potential stallholders were canvassed by visiting other nearby markets, visiting regional producers, and advertising for expressions of interest in the local media. An organising committee was established and a stakeholder workshop was conducted by the chair of the Australian Farmers’ Markets Association in March 2011. A part-time market coordinator was engaged to oversee organisation and promotion of the market.

The Finley Farmers’ Market was launched in September 2011 with approximately 800 people coming to browse a variety of produce stalls and listen to local musicians. The stallholder numbers have consistently exceeded the initial estimate of 15 stalls a month, with most markets having

20–30 stalls. While it was initially planned to close the market during the winter period the success of the market and feedback from stallholders resulted in the committee continuing the market through the winter months.

The market is evolving into an invaluable social outing for many community members, bringing people together in a casual and fun way. Both stallholders and patrons have commented on the relaxed feel of the market, and stallholders in particular enjoy coming to the market for this reason. The market has successfully generated new business activity within the town with a number of businesses reporting busier than normal trading on market days. The market has also inspired a number of ‘start-up’ stalls which are generating income for individuals not previously involved in market selling.

Packing the 2011 citrus crop in the new shed


Chetwynd Park packing shedChetwynd Park is a horticultural enterprise at Tooleybuc which produces citrus and stone fruit. A $600,000 grant has allowed the enterprise to expand its existing packing shed, including a new office and staff facilities. The expansion was required to allow the addition of a new citrus grader which has extended the packing season and enabled the servicing of major supermarket and export contracts.

Citrus from the property was previously sent to Mildura for packing and export. However, packing stone fruit on site had proven to have economic advantages for the company and other growers in the area. It was envisaged that the packing of citrus on site would extend the operation of the packing shed to seven months of continual operation (June to January) and make it the only packing facility of its kind in the area.

The new packing shed with cool room, citrus grader and staff amenities was completed in May 2011 in time for the first citrus crop in June. A total of 4455 bins of citrus were packed in the first season saving an estimated $57,000 in freight costs to Mildura. Contracts to supply citrus to major supermarkets have been successfully negotiated, and the company has been able to establish a small share of the export market with 8882 cartons exported in 2011.

The shed employs 25–30 packing staff, and it is hoped that the longer season and upgraded staff amenities will

encourage employees to stay for the whole season as well as attracting workers from the local community. An additional five full-time staff have been employed including a mechanic to oversee operation of the citrus grader.

More than 14,000 stone fruit trees and 7200 mandarin trees were planted in 2010–11 to increase production. The company estimates there will be an 80 per cent increase in volume through the packing shed over the next three to four years with flow-on benefits for local employment and businesses.



Earth, Food and Wine StoreAn empty shop within the central business district of Moama provided an opportunity for Moama Foodstore to create a place for the local community to enjoy good food and coffee. With no real coffee shop in town and the ability to service eight motels for breakfasts, coffee and other meals, it was envisaged that the opening of a suitable venue could create part-time employment for around 14 young people. As well as providing employment opportunities the project aimed to increase services to tourists visiting the town and provide an option for the local community to host family and group functions in an attractive setting.

The project received a $50,000 grant from the Trust to help establish Earth, Food and Wine Store – a café and licensed food and wine bar which has created a meeting place for the local community. A modern industrial style décor is complemented by an outdoor courtyard to provide indoor and outdoor dining options. The café opened on 10 March 2012 with 12 people being employed so far including two full-time chefs and two apprentice chefs, a full-time administration assistant, a full-time hospitality trainee, and part-time baristas, waiters and kitchen hands.

The new venue has been very well received by both locals and tourists with the café being packed to capacity each weekend during its first six weeks of operation. Tourists calling in for breakfast have been so impressed with the quality of food they have booked in for dinner the same day. Locals too have embraced the business, and it has quickly

Interior of Earth, Food and Wine Store

become a meeting place for mother’s groups as well as business breakfasts and meetings. A range of functions have been catered for including birthdays, anniversaries and engagements, with function bookings filling up three months in advance.

Sunday music is provided on a regular basis which is attracting the attention of many locals looking for something to do on a Sunday. In July 2012 the café joined with three other venues in Echuca-Moama to host the annual Echuca Moama Blues Festival, the largest community event hosted by Earth, Food and Wine Store yet.


In 2011–12 the NSW Government committed to the funding of two new grant programs from the Waste and Environment Levy. These programs will be delivering two important conservation outcomes over the next four years.

Devil Ark The Tasmanian devil has suffered a catastrophic decline in its population over the past 10 years as a result of devil facial tumour disease. Depending on the region of Tasmania this decline has been in the range of 60–90 per cent, leading the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to raise its threat level to endangered. The Tasmanian devil is also listed as endangered under both Commonwealth and Tasmanian legislation.

The Devil Ark is a special breeding facility that has been created as a mainland insurance population of Tasmanian devils. Located on a heavily timbered property in the Barrington Tops, Devil Ark is an initiative of the Australian Reptile Park in partnership with the Zoo and Aquarium Association and the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species. The Ark is an integral part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and is the largest breeding population on the mainland of Australia.

The Trust has committed funds of $150,000 a year for four financial years, commencing in 2011–12, to support to the Devil Ark free-range captive breeding program. These funds contribute towards the operating costs of the facility including fencing, staffing, vet fees and animal food.

The Devil Ark is trialling pen configuration to determine the ideal enclosure size and features, stocking densities, social group configurations and management practices that will enable successful breeding of Tasmanian devils suitable for reintroduction as wild populations in Tasmania once devil facial tumour disease is controlled or eliminated. The facility

includes large bio-secure pens of up to eight hectares containing varying numbers of devils (four to eight) in different social configurations. The pens are enclosed within an escape-proof, entry-proof perimeter fence.

Devil Ark was launched by the Minister for the Environment Robyn Parker on 21 September 2011 with the facility housing 43 animals at that time. In 2011–12 a further three free-range enclosures were built enabling Devil Ark to house 94 animals. Around 32 joeys were born during the 2011–12 summer breeding season bringing the number of animals to around 126.

Flying-fox Netting Subsidy ProgramIn March 2011 the NSW Government announced financial assistance for orchardists in the Sydney Basin and Central Coast regions for the purchase and installation of flying-fox exclusion netting. The objective of the Flying-Fox Netting Subsidy Program is to support the phasing out of licensed shooting of flying-foxes as a crop protection measure while minimising the impact on the commercial orchard industry. The program is led by the NSW Rural Assitance Authority with a technical subcommittee to oversee monitoring of the program and any licence culling issues.

The Flying-fox Netting Subsidy Program will provide up to $5 million in subsidies for the installation of exclusion netting on commercial orchards in 17 local government areas in and around the Sydney Basin and Central Coast regions. Subsidies cover 50 per cent of the cost of installing exclusion nets on eligible properties, capped at $20,000 per hectare, and will be made available for three financial years commencing 2011–12, during which time licensed shooting will be phased out.

The initial uptake of the program by orchardists has been slower than originally anticipated. Seven successful applications were approved in 2011–12, with financial assistance totalling $238,519. A total of 18.74 hectares of orchards have been netted so far.

The installation of exclusion netting and associated support structures involves substantial capital works and therefore has a significant impact on normal orchard activities and management options. Uptake levels in the initial year have been affected by both the level of fruit prices and the level of grey-headed flying-fox activity. Relatively poor fruit prices have reduced producer cash flows and profitability, and it is likely that many orchardists will defer investing in netting until cash flows improve. The level of intrusion by flying-foxes was also relatively low by historical standards and as a result fruit damage was reduced this year.

Devil Ark and Flying-fox Programs

An overview of the Devil Ark property


Private Native Forestry Program

The Private Native Forestry (PNF) Program has provided support for changes in the forestry industry following implementation of the Private Native Forestry Code of Practice (the PNF Code). This code aims to improve silvicultural and environmental practices in the private native forestry industry. The PNF Program was due to conclude in June 2012, however due to adverse weather conditions affecting project delivery in 2011–12, a small component of the program has been extended into 2012–13. The remaining funds will finance the continuation of the implementation and training programs.

An evaluation of the PNF Program was conducted by Inca Consulting to examine the effectiveness of the program’s training component. The evaluation found that the training program was successful in meeting a set of objectives developed by the PNF Training Program Steering Committee. The evaluation found that the training program has:

�� contributed to an improvement in compliance with the PNF Code

�� increased the knowledge and skills within the PNF industry and helped develop an appreciation of sustainable forest management and its environmental and commercial benefits

�� provided the foundation for a future accreditation scheme. Information is now being successfully disseminated among PNF industry members leading to an improved capacity to communicate their objectives to landholders.

Under the PNF Code, the harvesting of timber for the purposes of private native forestry requires a property vegetation plan (PVP). This year 473 property vegetation plans were approved covering around 66,966 hectares of private native forest. This brings the total PVPs approved over the life of the program to 2284 covering approximately 459,403 hectares.

A monitoring program is in place to measure compliance with PVPs. This year 113 operational inspections or audits were conducted resulting in the issuing of eight warning

letters, two corrective action requests and a penalty infringement notice for $3300.

The demand for industry assistance was much lower than anticipated; no funding was allocated to industry assistance in 2011–12. Over the life of the program $596,363 has been paid to businesses wanting to exit the industry, $413,724 has been provided to support business owners and $44,864 has been paid to assist individuals to leave the industry.

A key element of the PNF Program has been the delivery of training to forest managers and landowners in sustainable private native forestry. Training to assist contractors and landholders planning their own native forestry operation is delivered through TAFE NSW. This financial year 44 training sessions were held in 11 locations, with a total of 217 participants. Since the introduction of the training program, 727 people have received training in sustainable forestry practices. Training encompasses soil and water protection, silviculture, biodiversity protection and cultural heritage management. Online training in occupational health and safety for forestry workers is also available.

Field days provide an opportunity to increase awareness of the PNF Code and promote native forestry as part of a farm business. These field days have been developed in partnership with Department of Primary Industries. Ten field days were held this year with a total of 130 people attending.

Additional training was provided through the six-day Master TreeGrower Course to 105 participants in six regions. The courses were very well received and provided participants with greater knowledge in the areas of silviculture, forest ecology, saw milling and harvesting.

To help continue the success of this program the EPA has commissioned the production of a series of PNF training videos. These videos will enhance and supplement the training already undertaken and will assist future PNF landholders and logging contractors. The videos will be available for distribution to contractors and landholders via DVD or the EPA website in 2012–13. The videos cover the key topics that are incorporated in the training courses, with information on silviculture, biodiversity and soil and water protection.

Table 16Private Native Forestry payments in 2011–12

Program area Amount

Environment Protection Authority $1,959,000

Total $1,959,000


The Urban Sustainability Program was a five-year grant program that assisted councils and other organisations to improve sustainability in urban areas. Grants were provided to implement sustainability projects with a particular focus on urban water management, resource conservation, urban creeks and bushland, and improving environmental quality and organisational performance. The program concluded on 30 June 2011, at which time approximately 50 per cent of projects were complete.

The Trust has commissioned an evaluation of the Urban Sustainability Program which is due for completion in mid

2013. The findings of the evaluation will contribute to the development of future program priorities and will determine where this program fits in to the overall accessibility, effectiveness and efficiency of environmental funding for NSW local government and related organisations.

Since 2006 the Urban Sustainability Program has funded 113 projects worth a total value of $77.8 million. The following case studies demonstrate some of the achievements of the urban sustainability projects that were completed this year.

Urban Sustainability Program

Promoting energy and water savings to the Great Lakes

community


Urban sustainability and Wallis Lake – a partnership approachThis three-year project was a collaboration between Great Lakes Council, Greater Taree City Council and MidCoast Water to improve the sustainability of the Wallis Lake catchment. With a grant of $1.16 million from the Trust, and further contributions from the three partnering organisations, the project aimed to minimise the impact of organisational and community activities on the environment by applying innovation and sensitive solutions to improve operations, processes and overall performance. This vision was achieved through six complementary projects:

�� restoration of Darawakh wetland, a highly significant coastal floodplain wetland that has suffered major degradation over the past half-century. On-ground works have remediated the wetland by removing over 1400 metres of crossings and levees, infilling six major drains and regenerating 3.3 hectares of native bushland

�� stage one of a recycled water scheme that is estimated to recycle over 230 million litres of water a year and reduce the volume of treated effluent that is currently discharged via sand exfiltration. Infrastructure for irrigation of the treated effluent has been established at two sites

�� improving institutional environmental performance through the development of an Environmental Management System for the three partner organisations and institutional arrangements for water-sensitive urban design. This subproject also formalised development controls, policies and procedures to ensure that development maintains or improves water quality within the Great Lakes region

�� completion of a greenhouse gas audit and emissions mitigation plan at Tuncurry landfill. A key recommendation was the introduction of bio-covers (a mulch layer over a clay capping) which result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The study also recommended the diversion of organic waste from the landfill, and so a study of organic composting options was completed

�� completion of an energy and water reduction program aimed at homes and small businesses. The program successfully achieved its goal of reducing energy and water consumption by at least 10 per cent by participating residents and businesses of the Great Lakes area

�� an oyster shell recovery and reuse trial with local oyster growers. Despite some growers being supportive of a recovery and reuse option, the 12-month trial showed a permanent facility is unlikely to be used because most growers dispose of or reuse their shells on site.



GreenstyleThe Greenstyle program was a collaborative three-year project that aimed to provide environmental education to a community demographic that has previously been difficult to reach. Spanning three local council areas – Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby – the program was designed to build on the successes and address the limitations of previous community environmental programs administered by each council.

Environmental programs managed by these councils have traditionally focused on invasive weed control and bush regeneration. All three partner councils recognised that the 25–55 age demographic is significantly under-represented in existing community programs (such as Bushcare) which are typically comprised of retirees. The project therefore aimed to engage directly with local businesses and community, focusing on the time-poor 25–55-year-old demographic, as well as prioritising participants with private land in a riparian zone or a wildlife habitat corridor.

Greenstyle advisors visited residents in their homes, conducting 590 property assessments. Participants were assessed for 27 sustainability activities and behaviours relating to energy, water, biodiversity and sustainable living themes. Eighty-nine per cent of participants who received property assessments demonstrated an increase in their baseline sustainability and biodiversity scores compared to their initial assessment. Activities with a gardening theme were the most common group of activities to be implemented.

An independent research study was carried out to establish effective strategies in engaging the target demographic in environmentally sustainable practices at home. Specific recommendations were made for branding, promotion, internet resources, project officers, engaging suppliers and recruiting participants.

Two of the most popular resources developed were the Greenstyle website and a complementary YouTube channel to provide a platform for Greenstyle videos. Over the course of the project 40 videos have been uploaded to raise awareness and educate the local community about environmental programs operating within the Greenstyle project area.

The lessons learned during this program will continue to improve the delivery of environmental programs in these council areas in the future.


Sutherland Environment and Sustainability StrategySutherland Shire is characterised by extensive areas of waterways and bushland. These elements create a strong sense of identity for the Shire’s residents who place high importance on protecting and enhancing the natural environment. As part of its drive towards a more sustainable future, Sutherland Shire Council received a $14,500 Sustainability Planning grant to prepare an Environment and Sustainability Strategy.

Using a draft environmental strategy prepared in 2008 as a foundation, Sutherland Shire Council employed a multi-faceted consultation approach to engage all key stakeholders in the development of a detailed sustainability plan. The strategy was developed to be consistent with the sustainability requirements identified in the NSW Waste and Sustainability Improvement Scheme.

As part of its community consultation Sutherland Shire Council conducted a telephone survey of 172 residents. An online survey, engagement with Council’s Residents Panel, and a community workshop provided further opportunities for Council to gauge community views and attitudes on sustainability.

The Environment and Sustainability Strategy identifies six primary themes that represent important outcomes for the community – environment; natural resources; transport; heritage and culture; people and infrastructure. For each of these areas the strategy looks at the community expectations, identifies what Council is currently doing and identifies what it needs to do in the future.

The strategy brings together in one document all of the environment and sustainability actions currently undertaken or planned to be undertaken by Council. The process has allowed Council to identify a broad range of activities with environmental and sustainability outcomes that are not necessarily undertaken by the environment team. It has allowed Council staff and managers to better understand their roles and responsibilities in delivering environmental outcomes.

The strategy is available to the community from Council’s website. It will also be lodged across 137 schools in Sutherland Shire and at all branch libraries to promote environmental and sustainability issues among students.

Sutherland’s new Environment and Sustainability Strategy

Greenstyle logo



Northern Rivers Food LinksLocal councils and partner organisations in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW have completed a major project worth nearly $2 million aimed at securing urban communities on the North Coast through the development of local food supply chains. Led by Clarence Valley Council, Northern Rivers Food Links comprised a suite of complementary projects around the themes of sustainable food and agriculture.

Several projects focused on educating the community about sustainability and the benefits of buying local produce. This included promoting Northern Rivers farmers’ markets and other local food suppliers. The Source Identification Project aimed to link local producers and local retailers. It surveyed 98 producers to identify the range of food available in the Northern Rivers, and 83 retailers to identify the extent of local food stocked, and any barriers to stocking local produce. Food retailers were invited to participate in a local food strategy with 85 food retailers provided with on-site support, help with source identification, links with producers and business development advice.

To promote the uptake of sustainable food growing, a series of 40 workshops and demonstrations were held around the region with 582 people participating in these events. The one-day workshops were on topics such as organic gardening, food growing for renters, composting, permaculture, and making and using preserves.

Other projects have worked directly with local farmers to develop more sustainable grazing and food production practices. Twenty farmers have completed sustainable farm management plans, three farmers have implemented sustainable grazing plans and four farmers have incorporated organic composting and mulching techniques to improve soil condition and agricultural production.

Northern Rivers Farmers’ Markets provide an opportunity to buy local

The Northern Rivers Food Links project has developed a number of online resources including:

�� The Sustain FOOD website which contains information about growing, storing, buying, cooking and eating food in the Northern Rivers region (www.sustainfood.com.au/)

�� a database that currently lists 193 Northern Rivers food producers

�� a Landshare website (currently with 135 Northern Rivers members and nearly 2000 members Australia wide) that connects those who want to grow their own food but have nowhere to do it, with those who have spare land suitable for growing food (www.landshareaustralia.com.au/)

�� MyFood Northern Rivers, a smart-phone app that features information on where to buy local food, the time and location of local farmers’ markets, retailers and restaurants that stock and serve local food, and food events.

http://www.sustainfood.com.au/

http://www.landshareaustralia.com.au/


NSW RiverBank Program

Over the past six years the NSW RiverBank Program has provided funds to buy and manage water for the rehabilitation and protection of stressed rivers and important wetlands in NSW. At its inception, NSW RiverBank was the single largest government commitment to restore the health of priority wetlands in NSW and the first program to acquire water entitlements from willing sellers via the water market.

In 2011–12, its final year, $5.6 million was spent on purchasing water entitlements (Table 17). Entitlements for 5022 megalitres of general security water and 1800 megalitres of unregulated water were purchased in the Murrumbidgee Valley. This brings the total acquisitions of water under NSW RiverBank since 2006 to 94,166 megalitres from around 160 individual water purchases.

NSW experienced another wet year in 2011–12, including the second wettest March on record. Consequently, this year also saw significant deliveries of environmental water to key wetlands in the Gwydir, Lachlan, Macquarie and Murrumbidgee wetlands. The NSW Government contributed 41,656 megalitres of water from its holdings, with the majority of this comprising water purchased through NSW RiverBank. The past two years have demonstrated the highly variable nature of the Australian environment with previously stressed wetland environments continuing to recover from the drought.

Gwydir Wetlands The Gwydir catchment experienced substantial rainfall across the catchment between November 2011 and February 2012, resulting in three major and two minor flooding events. 18,300 megalitres of environmental water was delivered prior to the flooding events, with the Gwydir Wetlands experiencing the largest and most extensive inundation event since 1998. For 2011–12 the primary aim was to support continuous wetland inundation across a large portion of the Gwydir Wetlands, including areas known as critical refuge for fish and waterbird species. The prolonged period of watering aimed to restore the wetland system and to support the ecological processes that underpin the completion of life cycles for many wetland species. NSW contributed 592 megalitres to the environmental water delivery from its licences.

Macquarie MarshesIn 2011–-12 the Macquarie Marshes continued their recovery following ten years of low inflows, with a flood event occurring between March and April 2012 due to near-record rainfall. Wetland vegetation continued to expand and regenerate, providing habitat for large-scale breeding of colonial waterbirds.

A key management objective for the use of environmental water in the Macquarie Marshes has been to build up the resilience of ecosystems to seasonal variability and to promote recovery of degraded wetland systems. The watering of up to 50,000 hectares of semi-permanent wetland vegetation, including river red gum woodland and highly water-dependent species such as water couch and common reed were priorities. With natural flooding boosted by total water deliveries of around 153,000 megalitres, inundation in the Macquarie Marshes peaked at around 40,000 hectares. NSW contributed 25,257 megalitres of environmental water from its licences.

Lachlan ValleyThe Lachlan Valley experienced late but significant flooding in March 2012 as a result of record-breaking rain in southern NSW. This was the largest flood event in the Lower Lachlan wetlands since 1990, and the delivery of flows to wetlands continued beyond the end of the water year.

The primary aim of environmental watering in the Lachlan Valley was to continue the recovery of key habitats by improving vegetation condition and enhancing foraging and nesting habitat for waterbirds along the Merrowie Creek and Merrimajeel Creek systems, as well as maintaining water levels in Murrumbidgil Swamp and Lake Merrimajeel. NSW contributed 7392 megalitres of water from its licences to the total water delivery of 27,551 megalitres in support of these outcomes.

A remote controlled camera was used to monitor breeding activity at an egret colony in the northern Macquarie Marshes


Murrumbidgee ValleyThe Murrumbidgee Valley received a significant rainfall event in late February 2012, with severe floods recorded in a number of major towns and the highest river levels recorded since 1974. The Mirrool Creek floodplain flooded to a new record extent and several months later these flows connected Mirrool Creek through to the Lachlan River floodplain. Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps near Leeton, both Ramsar wetlands of international significance for migratory waterbirds, also flooded from local rainfall to a new record extent.

The primary aims for environmental watering were to maintain and improve the condition of wetland vegetation

Table 17NSW RiverBank payments in 2011–12

Catchment Water access licence type Unit shares Funding Amount

Murrumbidgee River General Security 2117 Fully funded $2,021,735

Murrumbidgee River General Security 1209 Fully funded $1,154,595

Murrumbidgee River General Security 400 Fully funded $382,000




Yanga Lake Unregulated pumping licence 1800 Fully funded $810,000

Total licences purchased 6822 $5,624,390

Administration and other charges $1,674,481

Total $7,298,871

including black box, river cooba and river red gum forests, to create and sustain bird breeding events and to encourage breeding of the threatened southern bell frog. Watering of Yanga National Park continued in 2011–12 to build resilience, with the condition of river red gum, lignum and black box vegetation continuing to improve. NSW RiverBank water contributed to an important in-stream dilution flow in the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee River to prevent a blackwater event affecting the river biology. NSW provided 8415 megalitres of water from its licences to the total water delivery of around 223,000 megalitres in the Murrumbidgee Valley.

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The Dissemination Program has been an important extension of the Trust’s competitive grant programs since 2005. The program works with grantees to extend the knowledge and experience gained from successfully completed projects to a wider audience. Through the dissemination of communication products, workshops and training programs, the Dissemination Program aims to build the capacity of grantees to achieve environmental change through a small additional investment.

Since the program’s inception around 840 organisations have partnered with the Trust to deliver dissemination outcomes, and almost 4000 people have received training through a dissemination project.

Four projects were successfully completed this year with a range of events hosted through the program including mentoring sessions, train-the-trainer workshops, field days and training sessions. Five new projects were developed this year (Table 18).

The Dissemination Program continues to profile a range of successful and innovative projects for inclusion on the Trust website. Eleven new case studies were added this year bringing the total number available to 95.

Completed projectsA network of educators delivering ‘Starting in your Backyard’WetlandCare Australia developed a toolkit and provided training on the delivery of their highly successful program Starting in your Backyard. Seventy-seven environmental educators and natural resource managers from councils, Catchment Management Authorities, Landcare and other non-government groups across the State received training through five workshops and two web-based seminars. Feedback from participants showed that 74 per cent found the workshops extremely or very useful and 80 per cent said the workshops and toolkit provided them with sufficient information to run it in their community. The second phase of this grant involved WetlandCare Australia assisting participants to run their own locally specific program. A total of 57 community members were involved in the five locally run workshops.

Dissemination Program

Biodiversity Incentive and Monitoring Tool Through this dissemination project Biobrokers Pty Ltd developed a series of resources including a newsletter, information kit and website to supply up-to-date information on the Biodiversity Incentive and Monitoring Tool (BIT) to CMAs and local government. The project brought together 45 CMA and local government staff at six workshops to provide training and support in the use of BIT. A customised version of BIT was also developed with Murrumbidgee CMA which included an information sheet and customised user manual.

Foreshore erosion field day and interactive learning packageA field day hosted by Pittwater Council provided other coastal councils with information and design tips for successful foreshore remediation. The project showcased the success of works at Rowland Reserve in Bayview which incorporated design that complemented the aesthetics of the site, while at the same time meeting the needs of the environment. This project shared the systems, processes and lessons learned by Pittwater Council with other land managers through a field day, educational signage, fact sheet and online resources. The field day attracted 22 people and over 114 people have accessed the web resources which includes a fact sheet, virtual tour and a blog.

Sustainable Future for Small BusinessThis program offered a unique opportunity for two major shopping centres to integrate environmental sustainability into their centres and to educate their tenants about sustainable business practices. Westfield Bondi Junction and Stockland Green Hills both successfully ran this program and 34 retail tenants are now taking steps to minimise their water and energy consumption and reduce waste.


Table 18Dissemination projects awarded in 2011–2

Organisation Title Project description Amount

Pittwater Council Coastal ambassadors – protecting our coast

In NSW there are over 2100 kilometres of coast line to enjoy, manage and protect. This dissemination project will provide surf life saving clubs with an opportunity, through 20 training events, to gain valuable skills and access resources to implement positive environmental initiatives.

$49,000


Nutrient dynamics in riverine estuaries

This project will provide researchers and policy makers with an opportunity to assess the current state of understanding of nutrient dynamics in Australian riverine estuaries, identify priority research areas for the future, and facilitate interactions between scientists and decision-makers.

$30,000

Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council

Sharing the knowledge – traditional burning

This project will provide four LALCs with an opportunity to gain valuable skills to incorporate traditional burning practices into their land and fire management.

$50,000

Department of Primary Industries

Dam management – improving biodiversity and water quality

This project will provide farmers, land managers, and agency staff with an opportunity, through a series of training events, to implement positive environmental initiatives in farm dam management.

$40,500

NSW Early Childhood Environmental Education Network

More Little Green Steps – Sustainability for early childhood

This project aims to support, encourage and empower early childhood educators to embed sustainable options in to their early childhood centre operations.

$45,780

Total $215,280

Dissemination Program

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BioBanking Trust Fund

The Trust is the appointed Fund Manager for the BioBanking Trust Fund until July 2013. The BioBanking Trust Fund is an element of the Biodiversity Banking and Offsets Scheme which allows for the negotiation of long-term conservation agreements (biobanking agreements) between landowners and the Minister for Environment and Heritage. This scheme is designed to reduce the loss of biodiversity in the landscape by supporting investment in private land conservation.

The Trust as the Fund Manager received funds for a further two biobank sites during 2011–12. This means that the Trust is now managing the invested funds for five sites. Each biobank site has an individual account in the Fund which provides an annual payment to the landowner. These payments enable them to carry out the management actions defined in their biobanking agreement.

The two new biobank sites, with money being managed by the Fund, are:

�� a 23.2-hectare parcel of land at Cecil Park owned by the Western Sydney Parklands Trust; a biobanking agreement for this site was signed in February 2012

�� ‘Mater Dei’, a 25.7-hectare property at Cobbitty owned by Trustees of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan; a biobanking agreement for this site was signed in May 2012.

The BioBanking Trust Fund provided an investment return of $57,000 for the financial year and over $400,000 in payments were made to landowners for management of their properties (Table 19).

In May 2012 the Minister for the Environment announced a review of the BioBanking scheme including a period of public consultation. This review of the scheme and its associated assessment methodology were required under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. The review will look at the performance and cost-effectiveness of the scheme and how well the scheme is achieving its goal of maintaining or improving biodiversity conservation. It will examine the overall framework of the scheme including the BioBanking Assessment Methodology, biobanking agreements, the BioBanking Trust Fund and assessor accreditation. Results of the review are due in late 2012.

Table 19BioBanking Trust Fund 2011–12

Details Amount

Cash balance at the beginning of the financial year $1,761,372.12

Receipts by the BioBanking Trust Fund (no GST) $4,597,218.60

Return on invested funds $57,001.99

Annual management payments (GST exclusive) -$402,195.36

Management fee (OEH) -$4,576.00

Administration fee (NSW Environmental Trust) -$1,375.82

Cash balance invested in the BioBanking Trust Fund $6,007,445.53

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/legislation/DECCActsummaries.htm#TSC


Finance

NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12 6160 NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12


ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

BEGINNING OF AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012

Actual 2012

$’000

Budget 2012

$’000

Actual 2011

$’000Notes

Expenses excluding losses

Operating expenses

Other operating expenses 2(a) 2,316 1,850 2,021

Grants and subsidies 2(b) 56,341 73,305 88,704

Total Expenses excluding losses 58,657 75,155 90,725

Revenue

Recurrent appropriation* 3(a) - - 92,066

Investment revenue 3(b) 1,387 1,173 1,479

Grants and Contributions 3(c) 58,047 72,221 -

Other revenue 3(d) 709 380 615

Total Revenue 60,143 73,774 94,160

Net Result 1,486 (1,381) 3,435

Other Comprehensive Income - - -

Total Comprehensive Income/(Loss) 1,486 (1,381) 3,435

* In 2011-12 recurrent funding from the NSW Government was received from the Department of Premier & Cabinet as a grant.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITYFOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012

Notes

Accumulated Funds

$'000

Total

$'000

Balance at 1 July 2011 17,997 17,997

Net Result 1,486 1,486

Balance at 30 June 2012 19,483 19,483

Balance at 1 July 2010 14,562 14,562


Balance at 30 June 2011 17,997 17,997

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements


ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE 2012

Notes

Actual2012

$'000

Budget 2012

$'000

Actual2011

$'000

ASSETS

Current Assets

Cash and cash equivalents 5 21,348 17,117 28,454

Receivables 6 1,360 1,947 1,601

Total Current Assets 22,708 19,064 30,055

Non-Current Assets

Total Non-Current Assets - - -

Total Assets 22,708 19,064 30,055

LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities

Payables 7 3,225 2,448 12,058

Total Current Liabilities 3,225 2,448 12,058

Non-Current Liabilities

Total Non-Current Liabilities - - -

Total Liabilities 3,225 2,448 12,058

Net Assets 19,483 16,616 17,997

EQUITY

Accumulated funds 19,483 16,616 17,997

Total Equity 19,483 16,616 17,997



ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012

Notes

Actual2012

$'000

Budget 2012

$'000

Actual2011

$'000

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Payments

Grants and subsidies (56,341) (73,305) (79,818)

Other (13,699) (11,245) (4,756)

Total Payments (70,040) (84,550) (84,574)

Receipts

Recurrent appropriation 3(a) - - 92,536

Interest received 1,492 1,093 1,558

Grants and Subsidies 58,497 71,751 -

Other 2,945 369 3,871

Total Receipts 62,934 73,213 97,965

NET CASHFLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 12 (7,106) (11,337) 13,391

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN CASH (7,106) (11,337) 13,391

Opening cash and cash equivalents 28,454 28,454 15,063

CLOSING CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 5 21,348 17,117 28,454



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NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSFOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2012

1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a) Reporting Entity

The Environmental Trust, constituted by the Environmental Trust Act 1998 as a reporting entity, comprises the normal operating activities of the Environmental Trust, namely supporting the environment.

The Environmental Trust is a not-for-profit entity (as profit is not its principal objective) with no cash generating units. The reporting entity is consolidated as part of the NSW Total State Sector Accounts.

In July 2008, the Environmental Trust was initially appointed by the former Minister for Climate Change and the Environment as the Fund Manager for the BioBanking Trust Fund pursuant to section 127ZY(1) of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) for a period of two years finishing in July 2010. However the Environmental Trust’s appointment has now been extended for a further three year period until July 2013. The BioBanking Trust Fund is an element of the Biodiversity Banking and Offsets Scheme (BioBanking Scheme) established under Section 127A of the TSC Act.

These financial statements have been authorised for issue by the Environmental Trust on 2 October 2012.

(b) Basis of Preparation

The Trust’s financial statements are general purpose financial statements which have been prepared on an accruals basis and in accordance with:

– applicable Australian Accounting Standards, which include Australian Accounting Interpretations and other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board;

– the requirements of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and Regulation;

– the Financial Reporting Directions published in the Financial Reporting Code for Budget Dependent General Government Sector Agencies issued by the Treasurer.

Financial statement items are prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention.

Judgements, key assumptions and estimates made by management are disclosed in the relevant notes to the financial statements.

All amounts are rounded to the nearest one thousand dollars and are expressed in Australian currency.

(c) Statement of compliance

The consolidated financial statements and notes comply with Australian Accounting Standards, which include Australian Accounting Interpretations.

(d) Insurance

The Trust’s insurance activities are conducted through the NSW Treasury Managed Fund (TMF) Scheme of self insurance for Government agencies. The expense (premium) is determined by the Fund Manager based on past claim experience.

(e) Accounting for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except that:

– the amount of GST incurred by the Trust as a purchaser, that is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of an asset or as part of an item of expense and

– receivables and payables are stated with the amount of GST included.

Cash flows are included in the cash flow statement on a gross basis. However, the GST components of cash flows arising from investing and financing activities which is recoverable from, or payable to, the Australian Taxation Office are classified as operating cash flows.

(f) Income recognition

Income is measured at the fair value of the consideration or contribution received or receivable.

Additional comments regarding the accounting policies for the recognition of income are discussed below.

(i) Parliamentary appropriations and contributions

Parliamentary appropriations and contributions from other bodies (including grants and donations) are generally recognised as income when the Trust obtains control over the assets comprising the appropriations/contributions. Control over appropriations and contributions are normally obtained upon the receipt of cash.

An exception to the above is when appropriations are unspent at year end. In this case, the authority to spend the money lapses and generally the unspent amount must be repaid to the Consolidated Fund in the following financial year. As a result, unspent appropriations are accounted for as liabilities rather than revenue.

(ii) Investment revenue

Interest income is recognised using the effective interest method as set out in AASB 139 Financial Instruments: Recognition and measurement.


(g) Receivables

Receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market.

These financial assets are recognised initially at fair value, usually based on the transaction cost or face value. Subsequent measurement is at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less an allowance for any impairment of receivables. Any changes are accounted for in the operating statement when impaired, derecognised or through the amortisation process.

Short term receivables with no stated interest rate are measured at the original invoice amount where the effect of discounting is immaterial.

(h) Investments

Investments are initially recognised at fair value. The Trust determines the classification of its financial assets after initial recognition and, when allowed and appropriate, re-evaluates this at each financial year end.

The Hour-Glass Investment Facilities are designated at fair value through profit or loss using the second leg of the fair value option; i.e. these financial assets are managed and their performance is evaluated on a fair value basis, in accordance with a documented OEH’s risk management strategy, and information about these assets is provided internally on that basis to the Trust’s key management personnel.

Designation at fair value through profit or loss is consistent with OEH’s Financial Arrangements and Investment Risk Policy.

The movement in the fair value of the Hour-Glass Investment facilities incorporates distributions received as well as unrealised movements in fair value and is reported in the line item ‘investment revenue’.

(i) Impairment of financial assets

All financial assets are measured at fair value and are not subject to an annual review for impairment. An allowance for impairment is established when there is objective evidence that the entity will not be able to collect all amounts due.

(j) De-recognition of financial assets and financial liabilities

A financial asset is derecognised when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial assets expire; or if the Trust transfers the financial asset:

• Wheresubstantiallyalltherisksandrewardshavebeentransferred;or

• WheretheEnvironmentalTrusthasnottransferredsubstantiallyalltherisksandrewards,buthasnotretainedcontrol.

Where the Trust has neither transferred nor retained substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership or transferred control, the asset is recognised to the extent of the Trust’s continuing involvement in the asset.

A financial liability is derecognised when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged or cancelled or expires.

(k) Payables

These amounts represent liabilities for goods and services provided to the Trust and other amounts. Payables are recognised initially at fair value, usually based on the transaction cost or face value. Subsequent measurement is at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Short-term payables with no stated interest are measured at the original invoice amount where the effect of discounting is immaterial.

(l) Budgeted amounts

The budgeted amounts are drawn from original budgeted financial statements presented to Parliament in respect of the reporting period, as adjusted for section 24 of the PFAA where there has been a transfer of functions between departments. Other amendments made to the budget are not reflected in the budgeted amounts.

(m) Early adoption of standards

In the current year ET has adopted all of the new and revised Standard and Interpretations issued by the AASB that are relevant to the operations and effective for the current reporting period. Details of the impact of the adoption of these new accounting standards are set out in the individual accounting policies notes in the financial statements.

Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for 30 June 2012 reporting period in accordance with NSW Treasury mandate (TC 12/04), ET did not early adopt any of these accounting standards and interpretations that are not yet effective:

*AASB 9 and AASB 2010-7 regarding financial instruments*AASB 10 Consolidated Financial Statement* AASB11 Joint Arrangements*AASB 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities*AASB 13 and AASB 2011-8 regarding fair value measurement*AASB 119, AASB 2011-10 and AASB 2011-11 regarding employee benefits*AASB 127 Separate Financial Statements*AASB 128 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures*AASB 1053 and AASB 2010-2 regarding differential reporting*AASB 2010-8 regarding deferred tax*AASB 2010-10 regarding removal of fixed dates for first time adopter*AASB 2011-2 regarding Trans Tasman Convergence- RDR*AASB 2011-3 regarding orderly adoption of changes to the ABS GFS Manual*AASB 2011-4 removing individual KMP disclosure requirements

These standards have been assessed for their possible impact on the financial statements, if any, in the period of their initial application. The assessment concluded that there will be no material impact.

(n) Assistance provided by other organisations free of charge

The maintenance of the Trust’s accounting records and provision of other administrative services is provided by the Office of Environment and Heritage. The fair value of such services is charged to the Trust.


2. EXPENSES

(a) Other operating expenses:2012

$'0002011

$'000

Auditor's remuneration (audit or review of the financial statements) 29 28

Payments to NSW Government agencies 1,674 -

Stores and minor assets 4 5

Information dissemination 131 71

Personnel services 457 1,898

Travel 17 19

Other-operating expenses 4 -

2,316 2,021

(b) Grants and subsidies: 2012 $'000

2011 $'000

Federal Government 243 242

State and Local Governments 44,695 81,105

Other 11,403 7,357

56,341 88,704

3. REVENUES

(a) Appropriations2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Recurrent appropriation

Total recurrent draw-downs from NSW Treasury* - 92,536

Less: Liability to Consolidated Fund (Note 7) - (470)

- 92,066

Comprising:

Recurrent appropriations** - 92,066

- 92,066

* (per Summary of Compliance) ** (per Statement of Comprehensive Income)

(b) Investment revenue2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Interest on bank account 1,387 1,479

1,387 1,479

(c) Grants and Contributions2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Recurrent funding from the NSW Government (DPC) 58,047 -

58,047 -

(d) Other revenue2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Other 709 615

709 615


4. SERVICE GROUPS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

Service Group Competitive Grants and Major Programs

Service Description: This service group covers grant funding to community groups, schools, Aboriginal organisations, industry, research bodies, and state and local government agencies to undertake restoration and rehabilitation, education, research and urban sustainability initiatives. It also provides grant funding to government agencies for programs addressing key environmental initiatives and government priorities.

5. CURRENT ASSETS – CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Cash at bank and on hand 5,767 13,599

Cash at T-Corp 15,581 14,855

Closing Cash or cash equivalents (as per Statement of Cash Flows) 21,348 28,454

Refer Note 13 for details regarding credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk arising from financial instruments.

6. CURRENT ASSETS – RECEIVABLES

2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Current

Debtors 7 -

Accrued Income 6 -

Interest 331 435

GST 1,016 1,166

1,360 1,601

No provision for doubtful debts has been made as all amounts are considered to be collectable.

7. CURRENT LIABILITIES – PAYABLES

2012 $’000

2011 $’000

Current

Creditors 122 86

Liability to the NSW Government – Recurrent Funding 920 -

Liability to Consolidated Fund - 470

Accrued expenses 2,183 11,502

3,225 12,058

8. COMMITMENTS FOR EXPENDITURE

There were no commitments as at 30 June 2012 (2011 – nil).

9. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

There were no contingent liabilities as at 30 June 2012 (2011 – nil).


10. BUDGET REVIEW

(a) Net result

The actual net result was $1.5 million compared to a budget of ($1.4 million). The variance of $2.9 million was largely due to delays in expenditure relating to the Trust’s grant program.

(b) Net assets

Net assets were higher than the budget by $2.9 million. This variance was mainly due to higher than budgeted cash, partly offset by increased current liabilities (year-end accruals).

(c) Cash Flows

The net decrease in cash holdings was $4.2 million higher than the budget. This variance was primarily due to delays in the expenditure relating to the Trust’s grant program and higher than budgeted year-end accruals.

11. BIOBANKING TRUST FUND

In July 2008, the Environmental Trust was initially appointed by the former Minister for Climate Change and the Environment as the Fund Manager for the BioBanking Trust Fund pursuant to section 127ZY(1) of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) for a period of two years. The Environmental Trust’s appointment has been extended for a further three years until July 2013. The BioBanking Trust Fund is an element of the Biodiversity Banking and Offsets Scheme (BioBanking Scheme) established under Section 127A of the TSC Act. The scheme provides long term arrangements for biodiversity conservation on private lands through agreements between the Minister for the Environment and land owners. The BioBanking Trust Fund holds and invests financial assets to pay for the future management of BioBanking sites.

The role of the Environmental Trust as the Fund Manager of the BioBanking Trust includes:

• ActasatrusteeofmoneyvestedintheBioBankingTrustFund;

• InvestfundsheldintheBioBankingTrustFundtogeneratereturnintothefuture;and

• Administertheaccountsandmakepaymentstothebiobanksiteowners.

BioBanking Trust funds are excluded from the financial statements of the Environmental Trust as these cannot be used by the Environmental Trust for making any grants payments for the achievement of its objectives.

In 2009–10 the first BioBanking agreement was transacted, with three more transactions during 2011–12.

2012 $'000

2011 $'000

Cash balance at the beginning of the financial year 1,761 499

Add: receipts by the BioBanking Trust 4,597 1,502

Add: Interest on invested BioBanking Trust funds 57 43

Less: annual management payment (406) (282)

Less: management fee – ET Fund Manager fee (1) (1)

Balance invested in the Trust Fund 6,008 1,761

12. RECONCILIATION OF CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO NET RESULT

2012 $'000

2011 $'000

Net cash used on operating activities (7,106) 13,391

(Increase)/decrease in creditors 8,834 (9,383)

(Decrease)/increase in receivables (242) (573)



13. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Trust’s principal financial instruments are outlined below. These financial instruments arise directly from the Trust’s operations or are required to finance the Trust’s operations. The Trust does not enter into or trade financial instruments, including derivative financial instruments, for speculative purposes.

The Trust’s main risks arising from financial instruments are outlined below, together with the Trust’s objectives, policies and processes for measuring and managing risk. Further quantitative and qualitative disclosures are included throughout these financial statements.

The Trustees have overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight of risk management and reviews and agrees policies for managing each of these risks. Risk management policies are established to identify and analyse the risks faced by the Trust, to set risk limits and controls and to monitor risks. Compliance with policies is reviewed by the Audit Committee on a continuous basis.

(a) Financial Instrument Categories

Financial Assets Note Category Carrying Amount Carrying Amount

2012 $'000

2011 $'000

Class:

Cash and Cash Equivalents 5 N/A 21,348 28,454

Receivables (1) 6Receivables

(at amortised cost) 344 435

21,692 28,889

Financial Liabilities Note Category Carrying Amount Carrying Amount

2012 $'000

2011 $'000

Class:

Payables (2) 7Financial Liabilities (at amortised cost) 2,305 11,588

2,305 11,588

(1) Excludes statutory receivables and prepayments (i.e. not within the scope of AASB7) (2) Excludes statutory payables and unearned revenue (i.e. not within the scope of AASB7)

(b) Credit Risk

Credit risk arises when there is the possibility of the Trust’s debtors defaulting on their contractual obligations, resulting in a financial loss to the Trust. The maximum exposure to credit risk is generally represented by the carrying amount of the financial assets (net of any allowance for impairment).

Credit risk arises from the financial assets of the Trust, including cash, receivables and authority deposits. No collateral is held by the Trust. The Trust has not granted any financial guarantees.

Credit risk associated with the Trust’s financial assets, other than receivables, is managed through the selection of counterparties and establishment of minimum credit rating standards. Authority deposits held with NSW TCorp are guaranteed by the State.

Cash

Cash comprises cash on hand and bank balances within the NSW Treasury Banking System. Interest is earned on daily bank balances at the monthly average NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp) 11am unofficial cash rate, adjusted for a management fee to NSW Treasury. The TCorp Hour Glass cash facility is discussed in paragraph (d) below.

Receivables and Trade Debtors

All trade debtors are recognised as amounts receivable at balance date. Collectibility of trade debtors is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Procedures as established in the Treasurer’s Directions are followed to recover outstanding amounts, including letters of demand. Debts which are known to be uncollectible are written off. An allowance for impairment is raised when there is objective evidence that the entity will not be able to collect all amounts due. This evidence includes past experience, and current and expected changes in economic conditions and debtor credit ratings. No interest is earned on trade debtors. Sales are made on 30 day terms.

The Trust is not materially exposed to concentrations of credit risk to a single trade debtor or group of debtors. No provision for doubtful debts has been made as all amounts are considered to be collectable.


2012 Total Past Due but not Impaired Considered Impaired

< 3 Months Overdue - - -

3 months - 6 months overdue - - -

> 6 months overdue - - -

2011

< 3 Months Overdue - - -

3 months – 6 months overdue - - -

> 6 months overdue - - -

The ageing analysis excludes statutory receivables, as these are not within the scope of AASB 7 and excludes receivables that are not impaired. Therefore, the “total” will not reconcile to the receivables total recognised in the statement of financial position.

(c) Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Trust will be unable to meet its payment obligations when they fall due. The Trust continuously manages risk through monitoring future cash flows and maturities planning to ensure adequate holding of high quality liquid assets.

During the current and prior year, there were no defaults of loans payable. The Trust’s exposure to liquidity risk is deemed insignificant based on prior periods’ data and current assessment of risk.

The liabilities are recognised for amounts due to be paid in the future for goods or services received, whether or not invoiced. Amounts owing to suppliers (which are unsecured) are settled in accordance with the policy set out in TC 11/12. If trade terms are not specified, payment is made no later than the end of the month following the month in which an invoice or a statement is received.

The table below summarises the maturity profile of the Trust’s financial liabilities, together with the interest rate exposure.

Maturity Analysis and interest rate exposure of financial liabilities

Interest Rate Exposure Maturity Dates

2012 Weighted Average Effective Interest Rate < 1 year 1-5 years > 5 years

Payables:

Creditors N/A 2,305 - -

2011

Payables:

Creditors N/A 11,588 - -

The amounts disclosed are the contractual undiscounted cash flows of each class of financial liabilities, therefore the amounts disclosed above will not reconcile to the statement of financial position.

(d) Market Risk

Market risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market prices. The Trust’s exposures to market risk are primarily through price risks associated with the movement in the unit price of the Hour Glass Investment facilities. The Trust has no exposure to foreign currency risk and does not enter into commodity contracts.

The effect on profit and equity due to a reasonably possible change in risk variable is outlined in the information below, for interest rate risk and other price risk. A reasonably possible change in risk variable has been determined after taking into account the economic environment in which the Trust operates and the time frame for the assessment (i.e. until the end of the next annual reporting period). The sensitivity analysis is based on risk exposures in existence at the statement of financial position date. The analysis is performed on the same basis for 2011. The analysis assumes that all other variables remain constant.

Interest rate risk

This risk is minimised by undertaking mainly fixed rate borrowings, primarily with NSW TCorp. The Trust does not account for any fixed rate financial instruments at fair value through profit or loss or as available for sale. Therefore for these financial instruments a change in interest rates would not affect profit or loss or equity. A reasonably possible change of +/- 1% is used, consistent with current trends in interest rates. The basis will be reviewed annually and amended where there is a structural change in the level of interest rate volatility. The Trust’s exposure to interest rate risk is set out below.


$,000

Carrying Amount

-1% +1%

NCOS Equity NCOS Equity

2012

Financial Assets

Cash and Cash Equivalents 21,348 (213) - 213 -

Receivables 344 (3) - 3 -

Financial Liabilities

Payables 2,305 23 - (23) -

2011

Financial Assets

Cash and Cash Equivalents 28,454 (285) - 285 -

Receivables 435 (4) - 4 -

Financial Liabilities

Payables 11,588 116 - (116) -

Other Price Risk – TCorp Hour Glass Facilities

Exposure to ‘other price risk’ primarily arises through the investment in the TCorp Hour Glass Investment facilities, which are held for strategic rather than trading purposes. The Trust has no direct equity investments. The Trust holds units in the following Hour-Glass investment trusts:

Facility Investment Sectors Investment Horizon2012$'000

2011$'000

Cash Facility Cash, Money market instruments Up to 2 years 15,581 14,855

The unit price of each facility is equal to the total fair value of net assets held by the facility divided by the total number of units on issue for that facility. Unit prices are calculated and published daily.

NSW TCorp as trustee for each the above facility is required to act in the best interest of the unitholders and to administer the trusts in accordance with the trust deeds. As trustee, TCorp has appointed external managers to manage the performance and risks of each facility in accordance with a mandate agreed by the parties. However, TCorp, acts as manager for part of the Cash and Strategic Cash Facilities and also manages the Australian Bond portfolio. A significant portion of the administration of the facilities is outsourced to an external custodian.

Investment in the Hour Glass facilities limits the Trust’s exposure to risk, as it allows diversification across a pool of funds, with different investment horizons and a mix of investments.

NSW TCorp provides sensitivity analysis information for each of the facilities, using historically based volatility information. The TCorp Hour Glass Investment facilities are designated at fair value through profit or loss and therefore any change in unit price impacts directly on profit (rather than equity).

Impact on profit/loss

Change in unit price

2012

$'000

2011

$'000

Hour Glass Investment Cash Facility +/- 3.96% 617 798

(e) Fair Value

Financial instruments are generally recognised at cost, with the exception of the TCorp Hour Glass facilities, which are measured at fair value. As discussed, the value of the Hour Glass Investments is based on the Trust’s share of the value of the underlying assets of the facility, based on the market value. All of the Hour Glass facilities are valued using ‘redemption’ pricing.

14. AFTER BALANCE DATE EVENTS

There are no known events that would impact on the state of affairs of the Trust or have a material impact on the financial statements.

End of Audited Financial Statements

NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12 75 NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12 7574 NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011–12

Appendices


�� City of Ryde – Catchment connections: connecting communities to their catchments

�� Clarence Valley Council – Restoring watercourses, wetlands and coastal lakes on the North Coast

�� Coffs Harbour City Council – Our Living Coast regional sustainability initiative

�� Coffs Harbour City Council – Local food futures project

�� Cootamundra High School – Rural schools environmental renewal in response to drought

�� Corowa and District Landcare – Restore and rehabilitate priority ‘Paper Laneways’ in the Corowa Shire

�� Environment Protection Authority - Alternative Waste Treatment Mixed Waste Compost Trials

�� Great Lakes Council – Urban Sustainability and Wallis Lake – a partnership approach

�� Greening Australia - Great Eastern Ranges (GER) Initiative (part of Green Corridors Program)

�� Gwandalan Public School – The Gwandalan vegie patch

�� Hunter Councils Inc. – C3E3 – Sustainable solutions to regional environmental issues

Administration of the Trust

Statement of affairs

Indicators of activity in administering the Trust

2010–11 2011–12

Total expenditure on environmental initiatives* $63 million $56 million

Number of major programs 6 5

Number of grant programs running 16 17

Number of current major projects 7 12

Number of new grant projects approved and started 211 235

Number of applications / expressions of interest processed** 873 929

Number of grant payments processed 418 477

Number of emergency pollution and orphan waste clean-ups funded 41 59

Notes* This does not include spending on forestry restructuring adjustment payments under the Forestry Restructuring and Nature Conservation Act 1995.** Total includes applications invited / received as a result of the Expression of Interest stage.

The NSW Environmental Trust, under s.15 (5) of the Environmental Trust Act 1998, waived the condition of requiring a grant to be expended within three years after it is made for the following grants:

�� Auburn Council – Sustainable water management in the Duck River catchment

�� Australian Catholic University – Mosquito control, saltmarsh and insectivorous bats: seeking a balance

�� Ballina Shire Council – Marom Creek Weir riparian rehabilitation project Ballina

�� Bathurst Regional Council – Restoring corridor connectivity of box-gum woodland White Rock Road

�� Blue Mountains City Council – S.O.S – Saving our Swamps

�� Botany Bay City Council – Develop a ‘sustainable futures’ plan

�� Burra Creek Landcare Group – Riparian revegetation Burra Creek to create major biolink

�� Campbelltown City Council – Urban Sustainability – Sustainable Environment Management Plan (EMP) for Campbelltown Golf Course


�� Hunter–Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority – Upper Allyn River protection and improvement program

�� Ku-ring-gai Council – Enabling effective community education and engagement as a driver for sustainability in local government

�� Lake Macquarie City Council – ‘Making connections’ in Cocked Hat Creek

�� Lake Macquarie City Council – Improving Lake Macquarie through integrated lake and catchment activities

�� Leichhardt Municipal Council – Leichhardt’s Living Streets

�� Lithgow Council – Future of Lithgow: Forward into a sustainable future

�� Lord Howe Island Board – Eradication of Rodents on Lord Howe Island

�� Lord Howe Island Board – Eradication of Weeds on Lord Howe Island

�� Manly Council – Burnt Bridge Creek integrated restoration program

�� Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council – Cemetery Point restoration and King Merriman grave restoration

�� Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority – Border security – Control of bitou in the northern containment zone

�� Office of Environment and Heritage - Classification and Mapping of Regional Native Vegetation Communities in NSW

�� Office of Environment and Heritage – Flying Fox Netting Subsidy Program

�� Office of Environment and Heritage – Green Corridors Reserves (part of Green Corridors Program)

�� Office of Environment and Heritage – Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program (part of Green Corridors Program)

�� Office of Environment and Heritage – Linking Landscapes Through Local Action (part of Green Corridors Program)

�� Orange City Council - Inspiring and integrating change in the central west catchment

�� Riverina and South West Slopes Nature Based Tourism Group – Promotion, rehabilitation and restoration of Riverina bird habitats

�� Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) – Total urban water management in the eastern Riverina

�� Rockdale City Council – Lower Georges River sustainability initiative

�� Rous Water – Reconnecting to Country at Wilsons River and the gully

�� Tweed Shire Council – Expansion of Byrrill Creek riparian restoration project

�� Tweed Shire Council – Improving urban and peri-urban bushland sustainability in Tweed and Byron Shires

�� University of New South Wales – Upper trophic level dynamics in the Macquarie Marshes

�� Wollongong City Council – Sustainable Illawarra

Structure and management of the TrustThe Trust is guided by the governance structures outlined in the Environmental Trust Act 1998. It is comprised of three parts: Trust members, Trust committees, and Trust staff who are housed within the Office of Environment and Heritage (part of the Department of Premier and Cabinet). The Trust funds the costs of administering the Trust’s programs, including staff salaries, while OEH provides all support services for the Trust such as finance, human resources, and information technology.

Day-to-day management of the Trust’s programs and activities is the responsibility of the Environmental Funding Programs section within the Sustainability Programs Division of OEH. The section’s major functions are:

�� researching, developing and implementing new programs for the Trust

�� promoting and managing the Trust’s grant programs

�� developing and managing governance arrangements for programs

�� providing technical and other assistance to grantees

�� coordinating assessments by the Trust’s technical committees

�� servicing Trust meetings, technical committees and subcommittees to facilitate good decision-making

�� negotiating grants and agreements, project plans and making payments

�� monitoring and acquitting funded projects

�� disseminating and promoting successful Trust-funded projects

�� managing the Emergency Pollution Clean-up Program and

�� reviewing and evaluating the Trust’s programs and procedures.

Grants administrationAll grants from the Trust have a number of conditions that must be met covering matters such as project timetable, payment schedule, progress and final project reports, financial reports, project variations and other administrative requirements. Except where a project is of a short duration or small amount, the Trust pays either the grants in instalments in advance or through milestone payments.

The Trust’s Technical Committee representatives assess and recommend grant projects and review project progress and final reports. This process keeps the Trust progressively informed about the quality of the work and the outcomes of each project. Where appropriate, a copy of the final report is placed in the OEH Library.

All major programs are overseen by program-specific Trust subcommittees. These subcommittees are comprised of technical experts in the relevant field and provide input into the development of program business plans, monitor program implementation and progress, and provide ongoing advice to the Trust.


Organisational performanceThe Trust’s support staff are employed within OEH and are therefore subject to the administration and organisational performance programs of that Office. These include occupational health and safety, multicultural policies and services, equal employment opportunity and disability planning. Environmental programs that include waste reduction and purchasing, resource recovery and recycled material are also included. Further information on these policies and other organisational issues can be found in the OEH section of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Annual Report 2011–12.

AssetsThe Trust does not have any physical assets that require risk management or associated insurance activities, because it utilises the resources of OEH.

Risk managementThe Trust’s risk management includes independent grant assessment processes, formal authorisation and payment procedures under explicit delegated authority, written grant agreements and approved business plans with grantees. A clause in the grant agreements indemnifies the Trust, and there are processes for tracking the progress of grants and payments of grants, a procedures manual and regular audits of procedures.

Further information on risk management policies and guidelines, fraud and corruption control strategies and internal audit programs applicable to the Trust can also be found in the OEH section of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Annual Report 2011–12.

External reviewsThe Trust is subject to a range of external audits, including annual review of its financial statements by the Audit Office of NSW. To ensure Trust funding is achieving the best possible results for the environment the Trust also implements a five-year evaluation plan for each of its annual grants programs. This year the Environmental Education Program and the Eco Schools Program were the subject of independent reviews. The final reports from these reviews are due in late 2012.

Monitoring and evaluationThe Trust commenced its monitoring and evaluation program in 2008 to improve the Trust’s reporting on a variety of performance indicators that relate to measurable environmental outcomes. These indicators are consistent with the national Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement Framework, and enable the Trust to report progress towards environmental goals on a statewide basis, and ensure that the Trust’s programs are contributing towards NSW 2021 (the NSW Government’s 10-year plan) objectives.

This monitoring also assists grantees to track the progress of their objectives and be able to measure and report on the effectiveness of their projects. In the past many grantees have had difficulty in implementing appropriate monitoring strategies for their projects resulting in data that was of variable quality and limited use for the Trust’s reporting requirements.

The Trust employs a full time Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Officer to collect and analyse the reporting data, and to support grantees in the preparation of their monitoring and evaluation plans. Grantees are required to clearly articulate their project objectives in the grant application and then to think through the activities they will need to undertake to ensure that objectives are fulfilled. All grantees in the Restoration and Rehabilitation, Community Bush Regeneration (large grants), Protecting our Places, Education, Research, and Eco Schools programs are required to report on a number of performance indicators relating to measurable environmental outcomes. These indicators are specific to each program.

Restoration and rehabilitation outcomesProgress reports from the 2009 grantees show that:

�� approximately 140,000 trees and other plants have been planted, and this is expected to rise to more than 240,000 once all projects are completed

�� approximately 1086 hectares of land had rehabilitation works undertaken, which has already exceeded the 1024 hectares expected for all projects

�� more than 3600 people have been engaged in project activities including 1110 volunteers who have contributed over 49,614 hours.

Progress reports submitted so far from the 2010 grantees show that:

�� regeneration activities have been carried out on approximately 716 hectares of native vegetation communities, which is expected to rise to more than 2800 hectares once all projects are complete

�� over 78 hectares of land has been revegetated with the planting of over 15,500 native plants. This is expected to rise to around 217 and 115,000 respectively, once all projects are completed.

Environmental education outcomesProgress reports from the 2009 grantees show that these projects have:

�� engaged 6738 people in workshops, field days and other project activities, which is nearing the 6800 people expected to be engaged at the completion of the projects

�� trained 3795 people through 125 training events

�� involved 1805 school students in educational activities

�� spread their environmental message to over 30,500 people through media, flyers and websites.

Progress reports submitted so far from the 2010 grantees show that these projects have:

�� engaged 2299 people in workshops, field days and other project activities


�� trained 968 people through 77 events

�� involved over 550 school students in educational activities

�� spread their message to over 18,000 people through media, flyers and websites.

Research outcomesProgress reports submitted so far from the 2010 Environmental Research Program (just over half) indicate that 1400 hours of research have occurred with eight innovative technologies being developed. Results have been presented at four scientific conferences and ten other forums with six articles having been published in journals and other scientific publications.

Expected achievements from 2011 grant programs The 2011 Environmental Education Program expects to train approximately 1826 people through 106 training sessions. The program also expects 159 educational products to be developed and disseminated to 3.3 million people.

The 2011 Eco Schools Program is anticipated to involve around 9800 primary and secondary students in projects aimed at improving environmental awareness and sustainability.

It is expected that grantees in the 2011 Protecting Our Places Program will rehabilitate and/or restore approximately 247 hectares of Aboriginal-owned or culturally significant land. Also, over 48,500 people will share, give or receive traditional Aboriginal knowledge or participate in Caring for Country.

Grantees in the 2011 Environmental Research Program are planning to present project findings at around 25 scientific or technical conferences and publish at least 25 related articles in journals and other scientific publications.


Internal Audit and Risk Management Statement for the 2011–12 Financial Year for the Environmental Trust


Membership of the NSW Environmental Trust

As defined in s.6 of the Environmental Trust Act 1998, the Trust consists of five members. They are:

�� Minister for the Environment (as Chairperson)

�� Secretary of NSW Treasury

�� Director General of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet

Members of the Trust and meeting attendance

Member Position Meetings attended by member or

deputy

Meetings eligible to

attend

The Hon Robyn Parker MP (Chairperson) Minister for the Environment (statutory appointment)

4 4

Mr Philip Gaetjens Secretary of NSW Treasury (statutory appointment)

Permanent Deputy: Ms Lindsey Williams

Director, Natural Resources and Environment Branch, NSW Treasury

4 4

Mr Chris Eccles Director General, Department of Premier and Cabinet (statutory appointment)

Permanent Deputy: Ms Lisa Corbyn (to 20 January 2012)

Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage 2 2

Acting Deputy: Ms Sally Barnes (from 21 January 2012)

A/Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage 2 2

Permanent Deputy: Ms Sally Barnes (from 28 May 2012)

Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage 0 0

Mr Rob Pallin Representing the Nature Conservation Council of NSW 3 4

Delegate: Professor Don White Chairperson Nature Conservation Council of NSW 1 1

Cr Keith Rhoades Representing the Local Government Association and Shires Association of NSW

2 4

Delegate: Mr Robert Verhey Strategy Manager Environment 2 2

The Trust would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to Ms Lisa Corbyn who resigned in January 2012 after serving 11 years as Trust Secretary.

�� a person appointed by the Minister from a panel of three nominated by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW

�� a person appointed by the Minister from a panel of three nominated by the Local Government Association of NSW and Shires Association of NSW (LGSA).

The Trust met four times in 2011–12.


Biodiversity and Green Corridors Subcommittee

Mr Tom Grosskopf (Chairperson)Director Landscapes and Ecosystems Conservation, OEH

Mr Geoff HudsonSenior Policy Officer NRM, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Dr Richard Thackway Scientist

Mr Martin DennyConsultant, Biodiversity Monitoring Services

Ms Elizabeth Scarlett Rural Services Manager, NSW Farmers’ Association

Mr Peter Dixon (delegate Leah Andrews)Manager Environmental Funding Programs, NSW Environmental Trust

Ms Susannah BilousSenior Environmental Officer, NSW Rural Fire Service

Mr Peter Turner (delegate Graham Wilson)Pest and Ecological Management, OEH

Mr Tim LowProject Officer, Invasive Species Council

Mr Noel KesbyGeneral Manager, Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority

Contaminated Land Management SubcommitteeMr Craig Lamberton (Chairperson)Director Specialised Regulation, OEH

Mr Jeff SmithChief Executive Officer, Environmental Defenders Office

Mr Robert VerheyStrategy Manager Environment, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Mr Adam CaponManager, Health and Risk Assessment, NSW Health

Ms Kylie LloydNSW Manager, Golder and Associates.

Mr Peter DixonManager Environmental Funding Programs, NSW Environmental Trust

Finance Subcommittee

Ms Lindsey WilliamsDirector Natural Resources and Environment Branch, NSW Treasury

Mr Bernard CarlonDivisional Director Sustainability Programs, OEH

Flying-fox Netting Subsidy Program Subcommittee

Mr Tom Grosskopf (Chairperson) (delegate Julie Ravallion)Director Landscapes and Ecosystems Conservation, OEH

Mr Stephen GriffithGeneral Manager, Rural Assistance Authority

Ms Alexia Wellbelove (delegate Nancy Pallin)Senior Program Manager, Humane Society International

Mr Peter Comensolie (delegate Ed Biel)Representing the NSW Farmers’ Association

Mr Murray SpicerManager Horticulture Industry Development, Department of Primary Industries

Mr Peter Dixon (delegate Leah Andrews)Manager Environmental Funding Programs, NSW Environmental Trust

NSW Riverbank Subcommittee (effective to 31 December 2011)

Ms Lisa Corbyn (Chairperson)Chief Executive OEH and Trust Secretary

Mr Bill StanhopePrincipal Financial Analyst, NSW Treasury

Mr Ian Hunter (delegate Nicole Campbell)Assistant Director, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet

Mr Digby JacobsManager River Works and Management, NSW Office of Water

Mr Austin WhiteheadDirector Water and Resources Policy, NSW Department of Trade and Investment

Prof Richard KingsfordProfessor of Environmental Science, University of NSW

During 2011–12 the Trust had six subcommittees in operation under s.9(3) of the Environmental Trust Act 1998 to assist with the management of its grant programs and finances. Trust subcommittees provide input into the development of program business plans in consultation with external stakeholders, oversee program governance arrangements and provide ongoing advice to the Trust. Membership of each subcommittee follows.

Membership of Trust Subcommittees


Dr Terry HillmanMember of the Independent Sustainable Rivers Audit Group

Mr Howard JonesChair, Murray Wetlands Working Group

Mr Mike YoungResearch Chair Water Economics and Management, University of Adelaide

Mr George Warne (delegate Amit Chanan) CEO State Water

Waste & Sustainability Programs Subcommittee

Ms Lisa Corbyn (Chairperson) Chief Executive OEH and Trust Secretary to 20 January 2012

Ms Sally Barnes (Chairperson) A/Chief Executive OEH and A/Trust Secretary from 21 January 2012Chief Executive OEH and Trust Secretary from 28 May 2012

Dr Tony WilkinsManager Environmental Secretariat, News Ltd

Professor Don WhiteChairperson, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Mr Robert VerheyStrategy Manager Environment, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Mr Greg SullivanDeputy Chief Executive Environment Protection and Regulation, OEH to 16 December 2011

Mr Bernard CarlonDivisional Director Sustainability Programs, OEH


Membership of Trust Technical Committees

Eco Schools Program

Ms Maria Rickert (alternate Sue Burton) (Chairperson)Manager Communtiy Education, OEH

Mr Mark CaddeySenior Development Officer, Sustainability, Department of Education and Communities

Ms Janelle Hatherly (deputy Felicity Foster)Community Education Manager, Royal Botanic Gardens Trust

Mr Gary CareyArchdiocesan Science Adviser, Catholic Education Office

Ms Elisabeth Dark Representing the Australian Association Bush Regenerators

Environmental Education Program

Ms Roz Hall (Chairperson)Director Business and Community Programs, OEH

Ms Fleur JohnsonProject Manager – School and Community Education, Australian Water Association

Ms Kim RendellEducation Program Coordinator, Parks and Wildlife Group, OEH

Ms Rebecca Jones (State and Local Government Program) Senior Policy Officer, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Ms Sue Martin (Community Program)Senior Policy Officer, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Ms Jane SmithExecutive Officer, Community Environment Network

Environmental Research Program

Dr Klaus Koop (Chairperson)Director Environment and Conservation Science, OEH

Dr Derek Van DykDirector, Innovation and Economic Analysis, NSW Office of Trade, Business and Industry

Dr Graeme BatleyChief Research Scientist, Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, CSIRO Land and Water

Professor Deirdre LemerleDirector, EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Department of Primary Industries

Protecting Our Places Program

Mr Peter Dixon (Chairperson)Manager Environmental Funding Programs, NSW Environmental Trust

Mr John LennisCatchment Officer Aboriginal Communities, Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority

Mr Robert MacfarlaneManager Aboriginal Affairs Policy, Projects & Programs, OEH

Mr Anthony SeiverPrincipal Policy Officer (Culture and Heritage), Department of Human Services, Aboriginal Affairs NSW

Ms Margaret BottrellIndigenous Community Support Officer, Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority

Lead Environmental Community Groups Grants Program

Mr Tony Richardson (Chairperson)Director Service Centre, OEH

Mr David TrewinManager Business Partnerships, OEH

Ms Bianca LewisCoordinator, Department of Planning

Mr Dev MukhejeeSenior Policy Officer, Council of Social Services of NSW

Ms Judi ChristieRegional Facilitator, Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority

Restoration and Rehabilitation Program

Mr Greg Sullivan (Chairperson)Deputy Chief Executive Environment Protection and Regulation Group, OEH to 16 December 2011

Mr Robert Verhey (Community Program) Strategy Manager, Environment, Local Government & Shires Associations of NSW

Under s.9(1) of the Environmental Trust Act 1998, the Trust has established several technical committees. These committees assess and recommend grant applications, review progress and final project reports and provide guidance in implementation of the relevant program. The membership of each committee during 2011–12 is set out below.


Mr Geoff Hudson (State and Local Government Program)Natural Resource Management Facilitator, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW

Mr John Francis General Manager, Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority

Ms Cilla KinrossRepresenting the Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Mr Andrew McIntyreManager Biodiversity and Conservation, OEH

Mr Marc WornerRepresenting the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers

Ms Mary-Lou LewisRepresenting the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators

Riverina Red Gum Regional Employment and Community Development Fund

Mr Richard Bull GAICD (Chairperson)

Mr Brian MitschMayor, Deniliquin Council

Mr Bruce GrahamGeneral Manager, Wakool Shire Council

Ms Jennifer N WellerIndustry representative

Ms Deanne StevensSenior Private Native Forestry Officer, OEH

Ms Heather DearingTraining Advisor, Department of Education and Communities

Ms Phyllis MillerConvenor, Natural Resources Advisory Council NSW (Council ceased in September 2011)

Ms Margaret O’DwyerRegional Tourism Development Manager (Southern), NSW Department of Trade and Investment

Ms Jeanette CrewChairperson, Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre Aboriginal Corporation

AbbreviationsBIT Biodiversity Incentive and Monitoring Tool

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

CMA Catchment Management Authority

ECL East Coast Lows

EEC Endangered Ecological Community

EOI Expression of interest

EPA Environment Protection Authority

EPS expanded polystyrene

GER Great Eastern Ranges

GPS global positioning system

LALC Local Aboriginal Land Council

NSW New South Wales

OEH Office of Environment and Heritage

PNF Private Native Forestry

POP Protecting Our Places

PVP Property Vegetation Plan

RID Regional Illegal Dumping

SMEs Small and medium sized enterprises

TAFE Technical and Further Education


Contact information

Public accessFurther information on the NSW Environmental Trust can be obtained by contacting:

Grants AdministratorPO Box 644PARRAMATTA NSW 2124Telephone (02) 8837 6093

Information on the Trust’s Grant Programs is also available on the Trust’s website at www.environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au

OfficesThe Trust office is located at:

Level 2 1 Fitzwilliam Street PARRAMATTA NSW 2150

The office is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

PublicationsThe following publications are available from the Trust:

�� guidelines and grant application forms for all grant programs

�� NSW Environmental Trust Annual Reports from 1992–93 to 2011–12.

The estimated external cost for producing this annual report is $5,500. The report is also available to download from the Trust’s website at www.environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au

A range of case studies highlighting successfully completed grant projects are available from the Trust’s Dissemination webpage at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/casestudies.htm

Public access to NSW Government information The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 on 1 July 2010, and introduced a new system for the right to information. It relates to personal and non-personal information held by government.

There are four ways in which the Trust’s information is made available.

Mandatory release: Via the website and other mechanisms, certain information must be disclosed free of charge. This includes policy documents, the current publication guide, disclosure log of information formally released under the GIPA Act and register of government contracts. This is referred to as ‘open access information’.

Proactive release: The Trust is required to proactively release as much government information as possible, in an appropriate way and free of charge (or at the lowest reasonable cost). Members of the public can also ask the Trust what information it will make available, in addition to the information contained on the website.

Informal request: Members of the public can ask for specific information on an informal basis. The Trust should release information without the need for a formal application, unless there are good reasons to require one.

Formal application: This is the last resort if a member of the public has not been able to get information in any other way. They can formally request specific information under the GIPA Act. In these circumstances, access to information will require a formal access application.

There were no requests for information from the Trust under the GIPA Act in 2011–12.

http://www.environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au




http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/casestudies.htm




http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/inforce/act+52+2009+cd+0+N

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/inforce/act+52+2009+cd+0+N

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/whoweare/101056GIPApubsguide.pdf

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/whoweare/101056GIPApubsguide.pdf

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whoweare/disclosurelog.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whoweare/information.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whoweare/information.htm

Photographs:

Page Title and source

3 Merrowie Creek in November 2011 following the delivery of environmental water through NSW Riverbank. Photo courtesy of Paul Packard, OEH

4 Myall-Rosewood woodlands protected by the purchase of properties in the Gwydir wetlands. Photo courtesy of OEH

4 Flooded river red gum woodland on the Gingham Watercourse. Photo courtesy of OEH

6 Planting lomandra and native rosemary on Montague Island. Photo courtesy of Stuart Cohen, OEH

7 Environmental flow release to the Snowy River in October 2011. Photo courtesy of Dayle Green

9 Bitou bush invading a sand dune. Photo courtesy of D Novak, OEH

9 Brush-tailed rock wallaby. Photo courtesy of Piers Thomas, OEH

10 The project report. Photo courtesy of OEH

10 Visitors brochure for Panboola wetlands. Photo courtesy of Pambula Wetlands Heritage Project Inc.

14 Artwork symbolises the dawning of a new era for the traditional custodians of Bean Creek Falls. Photo courtesy of Jessica Herder, NSW Environmental Trust

21 Dumped asbestos. Photo courtesy of Zack Thomas, OEH

24 Ecologist Alison Elvin helping horse owners identify common weeds in the Molonglo catchment. Photo courtesy of Molonglo Catchment Group

25 Horse expert Jane Myers and ecologist Alison Elvin talk to horse owners about pasture management. Photo courtesy of Molonglo Catchment Group

25 Brochure promoting the Little Green Steps program.

26 Project AWARE participants inspect an intertidal rock platform. Photo courtesy of Melinda Anderson, Port Stephens Council

29 The new vegetable garden and mobile chicken coop. Photo courtesy of Moruya Public School

32 The East Coast Lows project is helping to predict the impacts of severe weather on the NSW coast. Photo courtesy of John Turbill

36 Border Ranges landholder Claire Masters is one of many landholders protecting high value habitat though the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative. Photo courtesy of Alex Bonnazi

36 Ian Pulsford talking about the GER Initiative with Tim Flannery and John Doyle for the series 'Two on the Great Divide'. Photo courtesy of Gabe Anderson

37 Cumberland Plain woodland on the Mater Dei biobank site. Photo courtesy of OEH

38 Western Sydney RID squad investigated more than 3,500 illegal dumping indcidents this year. Photo courtesy of John Harley, EPA

40 Members of TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute receive their Sustainability Advantage Gold Partner award from Minister Robyn Parker. Photo courtesy of Alice Cahill, OEH

41 Training resource recovery staff to use expanded polystyrene recycling equipment. Photo courtesy of Angus Johnston, EPA

43 Dumped car bodies on Aboriginal land. Photo courtesy of John Harley, EPA

43 Some of the materials collected at a typical CleanOut event. Photo courtesy of EPA

44 Organisers of the Finley Farmers’ Market, a new venture supported by the Riverina Red Gums program. Photo courtesy of Jane Harris, Finley Farmers’ Market Committee

45 Pacdon Park Pantry retail outlet. Photo courtesy of Pacdon Park Pty Ltd

47 Packing the 2011 citrus crop in the new shed. Photo courtesy of Chetwynd Park Pty Ltd

47 A flyer advertising the Finley Farmers’ Market

47 Patrons enjoy a cuppa at the new Finley Farmers Market. Photo courtesy of Jane Harris, Finley Farmers’ Market Committee

48 Interior of Earth, Food and Wine Store. Photo courtesy of Tony Tonta

49 Grey headed flying fox. Photo courtesy of Shane Ruming

49 An overview of the Devil Ark property. Photo courtesy of Linda Bell, OEH

50 Old growth forest at Buckenbowra. Photo courtesy of OEH

51 Costa Georgiadis promoting sustainable living at Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre. Photo courtesy of City of Sydney

51 Promoting energy and water savings to the Great Lakes community

52 Sutherland's new Environment and Sustainability Strategy

52 Greenstyle logo

53 Northern Rivers Farmers’ Markets provide an opportunity to buy local

54 Tarwong Lake in December 2011 following the delivery of environmental water to Lachlan wetlands. Photo courtesy of Paul Packard, OEH

54 A remote controlled camera was used to monitor breeding activity at an egret colony in the northern Macquarie Marshes. Photo courtesy of Tim Hosking, OEH

56 Learning about restoration of Big Scrub rainforest remnants. Photo courtesy of Leah Andrews, NSW Environmental Trust

58 Tawny Frogmouth, one of the many species recorded on the new Mater Dei biobank site. Photo courtesy of OEH

59 Students of Moruya Public School show off their beetroot crop. Photo courtesy of Moruya Public School

75 Rehabilitation work has restored access to Bean Creek Falls for the reserve's traditional owners. Photo courtesy of Jessica Herder, NSW Environmental Trust

76 North coast volunteers were recognised for their participation in an Indian Myna control project. Photo courtesy of Nambucca Valley Landcare Inc.

81 Students of Curl Curl North PS created new native gardens with their Eco School grant. Photo courtesy of Curl Curl North PS

86 Lakemba Community Garden, funded by the Urban Sustainability Program. Photo courtesy of City of Sydney

NSW Environmental Trust Annual Report 2011-2012 · Environmental Research Grants 34 Green Corridors...

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